DEEP SEA SHARK THAT USES LIGHTSABERS FOR PROTECTION
On international Star Wars Day (May the 4th), what better way to celebrate than a shout out to the velvet belly lanternshark: a shark with lightsabers on its back. Yes, that’s right, you read that correctly. This shark is armed with not one, but two lightsabers.
This small species of lantern shark typically lives between between 200 m – 500 m in the waters off the coast of Europe, Africa (and probably the oceans of Alderaan) and reaches a maximum size of 45cm. While lots of deep-sea sharks have fin spines on their back for protection from predators, the velvet belly lanternshark goes one better by making them glow in the dark!!
Photophores (cells capable of producing light) on the edge of the dorsal fins shine through transparent fin spines turning their fin spines into lightsabers. In doing so, this shark announces its weaponry to would be attackers, letting them know they’re about to dance with a Jedi Master. Not only is it packing two lightsabers on each of its dorsal fins, it is also equipped with the ability to become invisible….(from below anyway).
Photophores cover the underside of the shark and produce light to match the down welling sunlight (above image). In doing so, this shark obliterates its silhouette from any potential attackers looking for a quick meal from below; a process called counter illumination.
It’s not all battle though. To help this shark reproduce in the dark, their genitals also light up, helping males and females tell each other apart.
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Happy Star Wars Day: Meet the deep sea shark that uses lightsabers for protection