Pygmy shark

The pygmy shark (Euprotomicrus bispinatus), the second-smallest of all the shark species after the dwarf lanternshark, is a squaliform shark of the family Dalatiidae, the only member of the genus Euprotomicrus.^[2] Their lengths are up to about 25 cm (10 in) for females and about 22 cm (8.7 in) for males.^[3]

Pygmy shark
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Division:	Selachii
Order:	Squaliformes
Family:	Dalatiidae
Genus:	Euprotomicrus T. N. Gill, 1865
Species:	E. bispinatus
Binomial name
Euprotomicrus bispinatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Range of pygmy shark (in blue)

• Sharks portal

Pygmy sharks are ovoviviparous and produce about eight young in each litter.^[4]

Conservation status

In June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the pygmy shark as "Not Threatened" with the qualifier "Secure Overseas" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.^[5]