In the intimacy of the darkness: genetic polyandry in deep-sea luminescent lanternsharks Etmopterus spinax and Etmopterus molleri (Squaliformes, Etmopteridae).

Multiple paternity seems common within elasmobranchs. Focusing on two deep-sea shark species: the velvet belly lanternshark, Etmopterus spinax, and the slendertail lanternshark, Etmopterus molleri, we inferred the paternity in 31 E. spinax litters from Norway (3-18 embryos per litter) and 6 E. molleri litters from Japan (3-6 embryos), using 21 and 10 specific microsatellites, respectively. At least two E. spinax litters were sired from multiple fathers each, with highly variable paternal skew (1:1 to 9:1). Conversely, no clear signal of genetic polyandry was found in E. molleri. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.