Mollisquama mississippiensis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American pocket shark

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Superorder: 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[]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Weisberger, Mindy; July 22, Senior Writer |; ET, 2019 06:48am. "Adorable Shark Fits in Your Hand, Looks Like a Mini Sperm Whale". Live Science. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Fiallo, Josh. "Scientists discover new species of shark that glows in the dark to lure in food". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  5. ^ Katz, Brigit. "This New Shark Species Looks Like a Tiny Sperm Whale". Smithsonian. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  6. ^ "New species of glow-in-the-dark shark found in Gulf of Mexico". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  7. ^ 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.
Retrieved from ""