The world’s oceans (and some lakes) are full of a wide variety of shark species, the smallest being the lantern shark.
Lantern sharks are known only from a few sightings and accidental captures off the coast of South America. The population is believed to live in the west-central Atlantic at depths between 283 and 439 meters.
Because the world’s smallest shark is so hard to spot, it’s difficult to pin down an exact size, but it’s generally reported to reach a maximum length of 21.2 centimeters, notes Noi.md with reference to .
A 2021 study captured 153 individuals to investigate population structure and found a lantern shark that measured 28.9 centimeters, setting a new maximum length for this species.
The lanternshark’s head represents approximately one-fifth to one-quarter of its total body length, and its mouth contains over 60 sharp teeth. The species has very large eyes, which are thought to allow it to maximize light capture in the dark depths of the ocean.
In contrast to the small lantern shark, the largest shark in the world is the whale shark, which reaches an impressive length of 18 meters.
