Scymnodon Obscurus
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The velvet dogfish (''Zameus squamulosus''), the only member of the
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
''Zameus'', is a small
sleeper shark The Somniosidae are a family of sharks in the order Squaliformes, commonly known as sleeper sharks. The common name "''sleeper shark''" comes from their slow swimming, low activity level, and perceived non-aggressive nature. Distribution and hab ...
of the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Somniosidae The Somniosidae are a family of sharks in the order Squaliformes, commonly known as sleeper sharks. The common name "''sleeper shark''" comes from their slow swimming, low activity level, and perceived non-aggressive nature. Distribution and hab ...
, found around the world between
latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...
s 64°N and 48°S, from the surface to 2,000 m.


Description

Its length is up to 84 cm.White, W.T., Vaz, D.F.B., Ho, H.-C., Ebert, D.A., Carvalho, M.R.d., Corrigan, S., Rochel, E., Carvalho, M.d., Tanaka, S. & Naylor, G.J.P. (2014): Redescription of ''Scymnodon ichiharai'' Yano and Tanaka 1984 (Squaliformes: Somniosidae) from the western North Pacific, with comments on the definition of somniosid genera. ''Ichthyological Research, 62 (2): 213–229.'' Although sharks within the family Somniosidae have generally been accepted to be non-luminous, ''Zameus squamulosus'' has
photophore A photophore is a specialized anatomical structure found in a variety of organisms that emits light through the process of boluminescence. This light may be produced endogenously by the organism itself (symbiotic) or generated through a mut ...
s on its ventral epidermis.


Reproduction

Its reproduction is
ovoviviparous Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparity, oviparous and live-bearing viviparity, viviparous reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals possess embryos that develo ...
.


Conservation

In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the velvet dogfish as "Data Deficient" with the qualifier "Uncertain whether Secure Overseas" under the
New Zealand Threat Classification System The New Zealand Threat Classification System is used by the Department of Conservation to assess conservation priorities of species in New Zealand. The system was developed because the IUCN Red List, a similar conservation status system, had s ...
.


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3442806 velvet dogfish Fauna of the Southeastern United States Fish of the East Atlantic Fish of the Dominican Republic Fish of Uruguay Marine fish of Venezuela Marine fish of Eastern Australia Marine fish of Western Australia Marine fish of New Zealand velvet dogfish Taxa named by Albert Günther