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The lantern shark genus Etmopterus contains approximately 40 species of deep-sea bioluminescent cartilaginous fishes. They emit blue light mainly from the ventral body surface. The biological functions of this bioluminescence have been discussed based on the luminescence patterns, but the bioluminescence mechanism remains uncertain. In this study, we detected both coelenterazine and coelenterazine-dependent luciferase activity in the ventral photophore tissue of Etmopterus molleri. The results suggested that bioluminescence in lantern sharks is produced using coelenterazine as the substrate for the luciferin-luciferase reaction, as some luminous bony fishes. [Display omitted] • Lantern shark Etmopterus contains coelenterazine as a substrate for bioluminescence. • The shark possesses coelenterazine-dependent luciferase for bioluminescence. • Lantern shark Etmopterus use coelenterazine for bioluminescence. • The bioluminescence reaction of lantern shark Etmopterus is luciferin-luciferase reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]