Researchers in New Zealand have announced the identification of a new species of “ghost shark,” a fish capable of catching its prey in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Known as a chimaera fish, the “ghost shark” from the southwestern Pacific Ocean, with its narrow snout, was found in the Chatham Rise marine area of the Pacific, which stretches over 1,000 kilometres east of New Zealand, according to the team from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) in Wellington.
“Ghost sharks” are related to sharks and rays, with skeletons made of cartilage. They feed on shellfish found at depths of up to 2,600 metres.
“‘Ghost sharks’, like this one, are mostly confined to the deep ocean”, noted Brit Finucci, who named the new species Harriotta avia, as a tribute to her grandmother, as avia means grandmother in Latin.
“Their habitat makes them difficult to study and observe, meaning we don’t know much about their life cycle or where they stand in terms of endangered species, but that makes discoveries like this even more exciting,” she said.
This “ghost shark” was previously believed to belong to a single species worldwide, before researchers discovered genetic and morphological differences from related species.
(information from amna.gr)
