| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANIMALIA | CHORDATA | CHONDRICHTHYES | SQUALIFORMES | DALATIIDAE |
| Scientific Name: | Euprotomicrus bispinatus | |||||||||
| Species Authority: | (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) | |||||||||
Common Name/s:
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| Red List Category & Criteria: | Least Concern ver 3.1 |
| Year Assessed: | 2006 |
| Assessor/s | Burgess, G.H. |
| Evaluator/s: | Cavanagh, R.D., Heupel, M.R., Simpfendorfer, C.A. & Kyne, P.M. (Shark Red List Authority) |
|
Justification: A tiny oceanic shark (one of the smallest shark species in the world reaching 26.5 cm total length). Widespread, recorded from numerous oceanic locations in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Little known of its biology although it is reported to have a fecundity of eight pups/litter. Its small size and epipelagic/mesopelagic habitat precludes it from capture in most fisheries and as such there are no apparent threats to the species. Given this, and its widespread distribution, it is assessed as Least Concern. |
|
| Range Description: | Widespread in central ocean basins of warm-temperate and subtropical oceans, including those off Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, Madagascar, Brazil, and Island nations in the north and south central Pacific. |
| Countries: |
Native:
Australia; Brazil; Madagascar; New Zealand; South Africa
|
| FAO Marine Fishing Areas: |
Native:
Atlantic – southeast; Atlantic – southwest; Indian Ocean – western; Indian Ocean – eastern; Pacific – northwest; Pacific – eastern central; Pacific – western central; Pacific – southeast
|
| Population: | No information on stock size or structure. |
| Population Trend: |
Unknown
|
| Habitat and Ecology: |
A meso- and epipelagic (depths of capture: surface to 300 m) oceanic (over 1,829 to 9,938 m depth) species. A bioluminescent vertical migratory species that ascends to or near the water surface by night, descending into midwater (and possibly all the way to the bottom) by day. Reproduction aplacental viviparous, but no details of biology available. One of the smallest shark species, reaching a maximum size of 26.5 cm TL (Compagno et al. 2005, Compagno in prep a). Consumes fishes, bathypelagic squid, and crustaceans.
Life history parameters Age at maturity (years): Unknown. Size at maturity (total length): Female: 22 to 23 cm TL; Male: 17–19 cm TL. Longevity (years): Unknown. Maximum size (total length): 26.5 cm TL (females), 22.0 cm TL (males). Size at birth: >6.0 cm TL, <9.9 cm TL. Average reproductive age (years): Unknown. Gestation time (months): Unknown. Reproductive periodicity: Unknown. Average annual fecundity or litter size: 8. Annual rate of population increase: Unknown. Natural mortality: Unknown. |
| Systems: | Marine |
| Major Threat(s): | None apparent. Small size and epipelagic/mesopelagic nature may preclude it from capture in most fisheries. |
| Conservation Actions: |
No current conservation actions are in place.
Like many deeper water species more information on biology, ecology and importance in fisheries are required to further assess its status and any future conservation needs. |
| Citation: | Burgess, G.H. 2006. Euprotomicrus bispinatus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 December 2008. |
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