When most people think of sharks, they think of massive predators like Great White Sharks and Tiger Sharks. However, many species are sharks are actually very small. These species are populous and found in oceans all over the world. So in order to learn more about all the types of sharks in the world, here is a rundown of some interesting facts about the smallest members of the species.
Atlantic Ghost Catshark
The Atlantic Ghost Catshark, also known as the Atlantic Catshark, is the next small species on the list and reaches 9.25 inches (25 cm) in length. It lives in the Eastern Atlantic around the Portuguese island of Madeira, though it is unknown at what depth. Scientists estimate like other Catsharks, it is a deep water shark. The Atlantic Ghost Catshark is brown in color and eats small bait fishes.
Dwarf Lanternshark
The first shark on the list is the smallest shark in the ocean measuring a maximum of 8.3 inches (21.2 cm). Little is known about the average size of these sharks but most of the ones that have been found can fit inside a human hand. Dwarf Lanternsharks live off the coasts of Colombia and Venezuela at 929-1440 feet (283-439 m) along the continental shelf. These tiny sharks eat mainly krill. Besides being the smallest known sharks in the world, they are also bioluminescent. Meaning that like other deep sea fish, they emit light to trick and trap their prey.
Broadnose Catshark
The Broadnose Catshark grows to 10.2 inches (26 cm) and lives in the deep water at 3412 ft (1040 m) in the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean. Very little is known about the Broadnose Catshark but scientists believe it is similar in physical traits and behaviors to the Ghost Catshark. Only one specimen has been found and it was an immature species so it may grow larger than the estimated 10.2 inches.
Granular Dogfish
The last small shark on our list is the Granular Dogfish named for its grainy appearance and skin texture. The Granular Dogfish reaches 11 inches (27 cm) in length and lives around the Falkland Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The only known specimen was caught at 1476 ft (450 m) but little is known about its habitat. Though scientists speculate it is a deep water hunter, found only around Chile and the Falkland islands. It is brown and black and resembles a typical Dogfish Shark.
Pale Catshark
The Pale Catshark is the second smallest known shark. This tiny shark only reaches 8.2 inches (21 cm) at maturity. Like the Dwarf Lanternshark, the Pale Catshark is a deep sea fish living at 2148 ft (655 m) in the Makassar Straits in Indonesia. They resemble a typical catshark and are reddish-white in color. There has only ever been one Pale Catshark caught, so very little is known about them besides that they are oviparous, laying pairs of eggs.
Spined Pygmy Shark
The Spined Pygmy Shark is found along the upper continental shelves in nearly every ocean in the world except the Antarctic. Typically it is found at 660-1,600 feet (200-500 m) deep, migrating vertically at night to hunt for small bony fish like lanternfish. The underneath side of the Spined Pygmy Shark is covered with bioluminescent organs and the top has bumpy denticles that resemble spines. The Spined Pygmy Shark is very populous because it does not face any threats from humans.
Pygmy Shark
The Pygmy Shark could be argued as the second smallest species of shark because they males only reach 8.7 inches (22 cm). However the females of the species reach 10 inches (25 cm). They have a relatively wide distribution and are found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Ocean at deeps of 4921-6000 ft (1500-1829 m). They migrate vertically at night to hunt and use bioluminescent organs along its stomach to attract prey. It is believed Pygmy Sharks eat krill and small fish.
