Biology: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
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
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
- ↑ 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. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/153198442/153199019. 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". https://www.livescience.com/65989-american-pocket-shark-new-species.html.
- ↑ Scribner, Herb (2019-07-23). "This glow-in-the-dark shark was recently discovered. Here's what we know" (in en). https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900080747/american-pocket-shark-tulane-university.html.
- ↑ Fiallo, Josh. "Scientists discover new species of shark that glows in the dark to lure in food" (in en-US). http://www.tampabay.com/florida/2019/07/22/scientists-discover-new-species-of-shark-that-glows-in-the-dark-to-lure-in-food/.
- ↑ Katz, Brigit. "This New Shark Species Looks Like a Tiny Sperm Whale" (in en). https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-shark-species-looks-like-tiny-sperm-whale-180972704/.
- ↑ "New species of glow-in-the-dark shark found in Gulf of Mexico" (in en-US). https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-species-of-glow-in-the-dark-sharks-found-in-gulf-of-mexico/.
- ↑ Maisey, John G.; Bart, HENRY L. Jr; Naylor, Gavin J. P.; Denton, John S. S.; Doosey, Michael H.; Grace, Mark A. (2019-06-18). "A new Western North Atlantic Ocean kitefin shark (Squaliformes: Dalatiidae) from the Gulf of Mexico" (in en). Zootaxa 4619 (1): 109–120. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4619.1.4. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 31716316. https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4619.1.4.
Wikidata ☰ Q65938991 entry
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