Sep 22, 2016
This opalescent shark is the Whitecheek Lanternshark (Etmopterus alphus), a new species of lanternshark from the southwestern Indian Ocean. The eastern Pacific Ocean Ninja Lanternshark (E. benchleyi), discovered in 2015, now has a new sibling from the Indian Ocean.
The new species is fairly common along the upper continental slopes off central Mozambique, at depths between 472 and 558 m, and is also found on the southern Madagascar Ridge in 650–792 m depth.
Photo: Adult female paratype (340 mm total length) before preservation.
Ebert et al. 2016. Etmopterus alphus n. sp.: a new lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from the south-western Indian Ocean. African Journal of Marine Science