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DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays

Velvet belly

Etmopterus spinax

  • Sharks and rays
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • Usual depth173–371 m
  • Water temperature7–23 °C
  • Best monthsSeptember
  • How commonCommon
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Photo credit: (c) Vsevolod Rudyi, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Vsevolod Rudyi · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

The velvet belly lanternshark is a species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae. One of the most common deepwater sharks in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the velvet belly is found from Iceland and Norway to Gabon and South Africa at a depth of 20–2,490 m (66–8,169 ft). A small shark generally no more than 45 cm (18 in) long, the velvet belly is so named because its black underside is abruptly distinct from the brown coloration on the rest of its body. The body of this species is fairly stout, with a moderately long snout and tail, and very small gill slits. Like other lanternsharks, the velvet belly is bioluminescent, with light-emitting photophores forming a species-specific pattern over its flanks and abdomen. The ventral photophores are thought to function in counter-illumination, which camouflages the shark against predators and prey. The bioluminescent flank markings may play a role in intraspecific communication.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Velvet belly lanternshark”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 3 records
  • February: 40 records
  • March: 43 records
  • April: 133 records
  • May: 442 records
  • June: 163 records
  • July: 12 records
  • August: 86 records
  • September: 3,942 records
  • October: 1,243 records
  • November: 1,416 records
  • December: 9 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 173–371 m · Deepest record: 1,790 m

  • 0–10 m: 30 records
  • 10–20 m: 0 records
  • 20–30 m: 1 records
  • 30–40 m: 1 records
  • 40–50 m: 3 records
  • 50–60 m: 7 records
  • 60–70 m: 8 records
  • 70–80 m: 12 records
  • 80–90 m: 21 records
  • 90–100 m: 17 records
  • 100–110 m: 12 records
  • 110+ m: 9,989 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 7–23 °C

  • 6–8 °C: 30 records
  • 8–10 °C: 59 records
  • 10–12 °C: 149 records
  • 12–14 °C: 351 records
  • 14–16 °C: 96 records
  • 16–18 °C: 58 records
  • 18–20 °C: 62 records
  • 20–22 °C: 0 records
  • 22–24 °C: 4 records

Names and classification

English
Velvet belly, Velvet-belly, velvet belly, velvet-belly, Velvet Belly Lanternshark, Velvet Belly Lantern Shark
Names in 3 more languages
German
kleiner schwarzer Dornhai, Schwarzer Dornhai
Spanish
negrito, Negrito
French
Epineux de fond, sagre commum, sagre commun, Sagre commun

Other scientific names: Etmopterus aculeatus, Spinax gunneri, Spinax linnei, Spinax niger, Spinax vitulinus, Squalus infernus, Squalus niger, Squalus spinax

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 21,649 open-data records from 1920 to 2024.
  • Species data updated November 2, 2026.

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