THE FINS UNITED INITIATIVE
  • About TFUI
    • TFUI Origins >
      • About TFUI Founder Melissa
      • TFUI Officers
    • Take a Bite
    • Get Involved
    • FAQ
  • Bite Blog
  • Education
    • The Sharks >
      • Shark Anatomy
    • The Skates & Rays
    • The Chimaeras
    • Why Environments Matter
    • The Threats
    • Open Access >
      • Behind the Fins: Interview series
      • Bite into Research
      • Shark Bites: Book Recommendations
      • Sustainable Seafood Apps
  • Fins United
    • Shark Party Ideas
    • Little Fins Nursery
    • Big Fins Reef
  • Contact

Black ghostshark

9/10/2017

 
Picture
Hydrolagus homonycteris. Source: CSIRO National Fish Collection. License: Cc BY Attribution
The black ghostshark (Hydrolagus homonycteris) is a large (reaching up to 101 cm in length), uniformly dark brown to black coloured chimaera. Found off the continental slope and seamounts off south-eastern Australia between New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Tasmania’s southern seamounts in 870-1450 metres (m), these deep sea chimaeras can also be seen off New Zealand waters, as deep as 500-1400 m.
They have highly deciduous skin, which can make ID-ing them a hassle. But as their common name says, they are darkly coloured. The black ghostshark has slender, short claspers, and pre-pelvic claspers, but lack an anal fin. Like some chimaeras, they have a large head and large eyes, accompanied by a medium-sized snout. According to reports, their eyes are a bluish-black colour and their teeth as dark too! I’m sensing a “I am the dark!” theme here.

While little else is known about these sharks, scientists do know that males mature at approximately 80 cm while females mature around 88 cm. The IUCN has currently assessed them as Least Concern (LC).

ever heard of the chimaera?

glossary

  • Anal fin: fins behind the anus; used for stability while swimming.​
  • Claspers: Sexual reproduction organs found on male elasmobranchs and chimaeras.
  • Continental shelf: Extends from a continent underwater, resulting in a shallow-water area.
  • Continental slope: The steep slope from a continental shelf to the ocean floor; usually around 20 km (12.4 miles) wide and made up of mud and silt substrate. It is an ideal area for deep sea fishing.
  • Deciduous skin: the continuous, periodic or seasonal peeling of their scales/skin.
  • IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.
  • Pre-pelvic claspers: closer to the head than pelvic claspers.
  • Seamount:  mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface.

say hello!

you may also like:

Picture
SOUTHERN EAGLE RAY
Picture
GALAPAGOS SHARK
Picture
MOSAIC SKATE

Comments are closed.

    Author

    TFUI Founder Melissa C. Marquez is author of all animal bios and "Behind the Fins" segments.
    ​
    A proud #LatinainSTEM, Marquez is a marine biologist who focuses on shark habitat use and movements; she is also a science communicator (follow her on Twitter) who focuses on diverse Chondrichthyan education and who focuses on the media coverage of sharks.
    You can learn more about her on her website.

    SEE MELISSA'S TEDx TALK HERE:

    Archives

    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Subscribe to The Fins United Initiative's monthly newsletter.

    SEARCH BY CATEGORIES

    Picture
    SHARKS
    Picture
    SKATES &
    ​RAYS
    Picture
    CHIMAERA

    READER FAVORITES

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM

    @finsunitedinitiative
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • About TFUI
    • TFUI Origins >
      • About TFUI Founder Melissa
      • TFUI Officers
    • Take a Bite
    • Get Involved
    • FAQ
  • Bite Blog
  • Education
    • The Sharks >
      • Shark Anatomy
    • The Skates & Rays
    • The Chimaeras
    • Why Environments Matter
    • The Threats
    • Open Access >
      • Behind the Fins: Interview series
      • Bite into Research
      • Shark Bites: Book Recommendations
      • Sustainable Seafood Apps
  • Fins United
    • Shark Party Ideas
    • Little Fins Nursery
    • Big Fins Reef
  • Contact