The Spined Pygmy Shark has thin lips. Its teeth are located in the upper and lower jaw. When the mouth is closed, the teeth interlock allowing it to take off large chunks of flesh from its prey.

The award for the smallest shark in existence goes to the Spined Pygmy Shark (Squaliolus laticaudus). They do not grow any larger than 8 inches/20.3 cm. The females grow the largest of the two sexes by a few centimeters.

Spined Pygmy Shark Habitat

The Spined Pygmy Shark is a deep water shark. During the night, it is found around 656 feet/200 meters where it spends its time feeding. As night gives way to day it heads to deeper water.

It is not known why they head so deep. It is not to escape light because light cannot penetrate below 656 feet. The water temperature decreases gradually down to 10,000 feet.

At 10,000 feet, the water temperature is only a few degrees above freezing. At 600 feet, the average water temperature is usually about 59°F/15°C.

At 3,280 to 6,561 feet/1,000 meters to 2,000 meters the temperature ranges from 39°F to 43°F/4°C to 6°C. The deepest part at which the Spined Pygmy Shark is found is 9,843 feet/3,000 meters.

Man Eating Danger Scale

The Spined Pygmy Shark is so small that the only way it could kill you is to swim down your throat and choke you. Its feeds on squid, shrimp and other fish including lanternfish and various deep water fish. The Spined Pygmy Shark scores a 0 on the Man Eating Danger Scale.

Spined Pygmy Shark Distribution

The Spined Pygmy Shark is found widely throughout the world’s oceans including the Altantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It has not yet been found in the polar regions of the world.

Spined Pygmy Shark Features and Size

The Spined Pygmy Shark has thin lips. Its teeth are located in the upper and lower jaw. When the mouth is closed, the teeth interlock allowing it to take off large chunks of flesh from its prey.

It gets its name from its size and the spine located in its dorsal fin in the first ray. What sets it apart from other sharks with spines is that this one only has a spine in the first dorsal fin.

It can be found ranging in colours from brown all the way to black. Like many deep see creatures, the Spined Pygmy Shark has photophores, which emit light. They are densely packed from its underside to the tip of its nose and to its back.