 Of the 16 hermaphrodites examined, 15 were functional females (and some were pregnant) that also possessed well-developed claspers (male intromittent organs), while one was a functional male with ovarian tissue in the left testis.The reason why so many sharks in Suruga Bay are hermaphroditic is unclear, but has been speculated to relate to pollution.Although it may be caught as bycatch and discarded, the brown lanternshark is harmless and of no significance to fisheries.