Spined pygmy shark

The spined pygmy shark, Squaliolus laticaudus, is a species of dogfish shark in the family Dalatiidae found widely in all oceans. With a maximum known length of 28 cm (11 in), it is one of the smallest living sharks. More

For centuries, the spined pygmy shark was known as the smallest shark specie but things have changed since the discovery of the dwarf lantern shark, which is now deserving of this title. More

Spined Pygmy Shark is shorter than a sheet of typing paper. More

Size The spined pygmy shark, a deep-sea shark at only about 7-8 inches, is one of the smallest sharks, while the whale shark is the largest shark, and fish, at about 50 feet in length. More

The Spined Pygmy Shark likes to eat squid, shrimp, and mid-water fish like lanternfish. Spined Pygmy Sharks are just seven to eight inches long. The color of the Spined Pygmy Shark is dark gray to black with white tipped fins. More

The spined pygmy shark is one of the smallest sharks; it is roughly 7 to 8 inches (18 to 21 cm) long (females are about 8 inches = 21 cm long; males average about 7 inches = 18 cm long). More

Spined pygmy shark (Squaliolus laticaudus), which is about 8 inches (21 cm) long for fully-grown females and 7 inches (18 cm) long for males Pygmy ribbontail catshark (Eridacnis radcliffei) , which is about More

The smallest shark is the spined pygmy shark that grows to around 15cm long, the same size as a chocolate bar. More

The spined pygmy shark has dense photophores covering its ventral surface but little or none on its sides or top of the body. This bioluminescent pattern has been described as "photophore countershading". More

The spined pygmy shark is a deepwater species, and is one of the very few sharks to exhibit bioluminescence – its belly glows in the dark, perhaps to attract the small creatures on which it feeds. Maximum size: About 20cm. More

Common names

Cação-espinho in Portuguese (Português)
Dvärgpigghaj in Swedish (Svenska)
Dwarf shark in English
Oome-kobitozame in Japanese (日本語)
Pating in Tagalog
Pigget dværghaj in Danish (dansk)
Requin nain in French (français)
spined pigmy shark in English
Spined pygmy shark in English
Squale nain in French (français)
Stekeldwerghaai in Dutch (Nederlands)
Tollo pigmeo espinudo in Spanish (español)
Tubarão-anão in Portuguese (Português)
Zwerghai in German (Deutsch)
宽尾拟角鲨 in Mandarin Chinese
寬尾擬角鯊 in Mandarin Chinese
小抹香鮫 in Mandarin Chinese
小抹香鲛 in Mandarin Chinese
萨氏拟角鲨 in Mandarin Chinese
薩氏擬角鯊 in Mandarin Chinese

Picture of Squaliolus aliae has been licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial.
Original source: FishBase
-FAO -Author: FAO
Permission: Some rights reserved
Order : Squaliformes
Family : Dalatiidae
Genus : Squaliolus
Species : Squaliolus aliae
Authority : Smith & Radcliffe, 1912