Mollisquama mississippiensis
| American pocket shark | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
| Order: | Squaliformes |
| Family: | Dalatiidae |
| Genus: | Mollisquama |
| Species: | M. mississippiensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Mollisquama mississippiensis Grace, Doosey, Denton, Naylor, Bart & Maisey, 2019
| |
Mollisquama mississippiensis or the American pocket shark[2] is a species of pocket shark native to the Gulf of Mexico. It is the second species of pocket shark to be described.
Discovery[edit]
The shark was first discovered by scientists from Tulane University that were conducting a study on sperm whales in 2010. In 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration identified it as a pocket shark,[3] the first to be found in its region. A previously found specimen of a different pocket shark species was caught off the coast of Chile[4] in 1979 and was used to identify the two different species due to their differences in size, vertebrae and numerous light-producing photophores.
Description[edit]
The head is bulbous, resembling that of a whale.[5] The shark is very small, at only 5.5 inches (140 mm). Near the gills are two "pockets" that secrete a luminous fluid which may enable the shark to hunt.[6] The body is grey with the fins being darker. The areas around the gills are cream colored.[7] There are clusters of photophores around the body, which are able to produce light.
References[edit]
- ^ Kyne, P.M.; Herman, K. (2020). "Mollisquama mississippiensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T153198442A153199019. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T153198442A153199019.en. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Weisberger, Mindy; July 22, Senior Writer |; ET, 2019 06:48am (22 July 2019). "Adorable Shark Fits in Your Hand, Looks Like a Mini Sperm Whale". Live Science. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Scribner, Herb (23 July 2019). "This glow-in-the-dark shark was recently discovered. Here's what we know". DeseretNews.com. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Fiallo, Josh. "Scientists discover new species of shark that glows in the dark to lure in food". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Katz, Brigit. "This New Shark Species Looks Like a Tiny Sperm Whale". Smithsonian. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "New species of glow-in-the-dark shark found in Gulf of Mexico". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Maisey, John G.; Bart, HENRY L. Jr; Naylor, Gavin J. P.; Denton, John S. S.; Doosey, Michael H.; Grace, Mark A. (18 June 2019). "A new Western North Atlantic Ocean kitefin shark (Squaliformes: Dalatiidae) from the Gulf of Mexico". Zootaxa. 4619 (1): 109–120. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.4. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 31716316.