Pygmy shark
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Subdivision: Selachimorpha
Order: Squaliformes
Family: Dalatiidae
Genus: Euprotomicrus
T. N. Gill, 1865
Species:
E. bispinatus
Binomial name
Euprotomicrus bispinatus
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Range of pygmy shark (in blue)

The pygmy shark (Euprotomicrus bispinatus), the second-smallest of all the shark species after the dwarf lanternshark, is a squaliform shark of the family Dalatiidae, the only member of the genus Euprotomicrus.[2] Their lengths are up to about 25 cm (10 in) for females and about 22 cm (8.7 in) for males.[3]

Pygmy sharks are ovoviviparous and produce about eight young in each litter.[4]

Conservation status

In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the pygmy shark as "Not Threatened" with the qualifier "Secure Overseas" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[5]

References

  1. ^ Burgess, G.H. (2015). "Euprotomicrus bispinatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T60210A3093076. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T60210A3093076.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Roberts, Clive; Stewart, A. L.; Struthers, Carl D.; Barker, Jeremy; Kortet, Salme; Freeborn, Michelle (2015). The fishes of New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 164. ISBN 9780994104168. OCLC 908128805.
  3. ^ Compagno, L.J.V. "Pygmy shark (Euprotomicrus bispinatus)". species-identification.org. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  4. ^ Carpenter, Kent E.; Valdestamon, Roxanne Rei (2019). "Euprotomicrus bispinatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) Pygmy shark". Fishbase. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  5. ^ Duffy, Clinton A. J.; Francis, Malcolm; Dunn, M. R.; Finucci, Brit; Ford, Richard; Hitchmough, Rod; Rolfe, Jeremy (2018). Conservation status of New Zealand chondrichthyans (chimaeras, sharks and rays), 2016 (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. p. 10. ISBN 9781988514628. OCLC 1042901090.
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