spined pygmy shark guide: habitat, size, and distinguishing traits

Overview

This species belongs to a deepwater-oceanic family that includes the luminous cookiecutter and kitefin sharks. Treat the profile as a provisional guide to small, dark, often poorly seen sharks of the dim midwater world. Dalatiids are usually small to medium sharks with no anal fin, two spineless dorsal fins, and in many species a dark body adapted to deep or open-ocean life. Several species also have light-producing organs. Kitefin, cookiecutter, and related sharks occur in tropical to temperate seas around the world, mainly in oceanic or deepwater settings. Many species have broad but thinly sampled distributions.

This family is most often associated with mesopelagic waters, deep slopes, and offshore environments. Some species make nightly movements toward the surface.

Why it matters: Some dalatiids glow, helping them blend into faint downwelling light from above.

Scientific nameSqualiolus laticaudus

FamilyDalatiidae

OrderSqualiformes

Max length0.2 m

RegionNorth Atlantic Ocean, European waters, North West Atlantic

What this shark is

Dalatiids are usually small to medium sharks with no anal fin, two spineless dorsal fins, and in many species a dark body adapted to deep or open-ocean life. Several species also have light-producing organs.

Where it lives

Kitefin, cookiecutter, and related sharks occur in tropical to temperate seas around the world, mainly in oceanic or deepwater settings. Many species have broad but thinly sampled distributions.

This family is most often associated with mesopelagic waters, deep slopes, and offshore environments. Some species make nightly movements toward the surface.

How it differs from similar sharks

Body shape, size, and habitat are the main cues that separate it from related sharks.

Compare it against ツラナガコビトザメ, Darkie Charlie, and Euprotomicroides Zantedeschia.

Why it is notable

People rarely meet them alive. Most human relevance comes from unusual bite marks on prey, bycatch, or occasional records from deepwater fisheries.

Related shark pages

These links are meant to help readers continue through related species, not force extra clicks.

Squaliolus aliae

ツラナガコビトザメ

This species belongs to a deepwater-oceanic family that includes the luminous cookiecutter and kitefin sharks. Treat the profile as a provisional guide to small, dark, often poorly seen sharks of the dim midwater world.

0.2 m max

Kitefin shark reference photograph showing the thick deep-sea body and broad rounded fins; not to scale.

Dalatias licha

Darkie Charlie

Common name: Kitefin shark

This species belongs to a deepwater-oceanic family that includes the luminous cookiecutter and kitefin sharks. Treat the profile as a provisional guide to small, dark, often poorly seen sharks of the dim midwater world.

1.8 m max

Euprotomicroides zantedeschia

Euprotomicroides Zantedeschia

This species belongs to a deepwater-oceanic family that includes the luminous cookiecutter and kitefin sharks. Treat the profile as a provisional guide to small, dark, often poorly seen sharks of the dim midwater world.

0.4 m max

Heteroscymnoides marleyi

Heteroscymnoides Marleyi

This species belongs to a deepwater-oceanic family that includes the luminous cookiecutter and kitefin sharks. Treat the profile as a provisional guide to small, dark, often poorly seen sharks of the dim midwater world.

0.3 m max