The Madeira Islands had appeared on maps as early as 1339, but were not formally discovered and settled until 1419 during Portugal’s Age of Discovery, an era lasting from 1415 to 1542 and heavily influenced by Prince Henry the Navigator. The Madeira and Azores Islands are autonomous regions under Portugal’s control.
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Diretmus argenteus - Although it is distributed throughout the oceans of the world, the silver spinyfin is a rare species. It has a flattened disc shaped body with lengths ranging between 30 and 40 centimeters. The lower body has a scute-covered edge, a bony plate similar to the material found in turtle shells and crocodilian skin. The most prominent features of the silver spinyfin are the over-sized eyes and the up-turned mouth. The silver spinyfin is a bathypelagic fish, an animal forging primarily in the deeper portions of the oceans.
