Great lanternshark
species of fish
The great lanternshark (Etmopterus princeps) is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the northeast and northwest Atlantic. Its name was given because, at the time of its discovery, it was thought to be bioluminescent, but this has been challenged.
Description
Great lanternsharks are slender and small, and are generally found in deep water. They can grow up to 75 centimetres (30 in). They are sexually dimorphic; females are larger than males. They are black or very dark brown, uniformly, in color, and lack an anal fin. They live at depths between 570 metres (1,870 ft) and 2,200 metres (7,200 ft). The dorsal fins have an associated spine.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Great lanternshark” is species of fish. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Great, lanternshark and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of fish” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1548981. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Great lanternshark”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Great lanternshark primary sources, Great lanternshark archive and Great research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Great lanternshark”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Great lanternshark” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.