Scientists discover new species of rare ghost shark in New Zealand waters
Newly discovered ghostly 'spookfish'
Scientists have discovered a new species of ghost shark in the waters of New Zealand. The fish is rare and extremely hard to spot as it lives in the deep Pacific Ocean.
When it was first discovered the scientists from the National Institute for Water and Atmospherics (NIWA), New Zealand thought it to be an existing species. However, upon further examination, it was revealed that the species was new and genetically unique.
The ghostly 'spookfish'
Ghost sharks, also known as chimaera or spookfish, can be identified by their unusually long and sharp noses and whip-like tails. Often referred to as the ocean's butterfly for how they navigate in water with large pectoral fins, the species do not have scales and are closely related to sharks and rays. They have cartilage skeletons and feed on crustaceans like molluscs and shrimp.
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The new species, Australasian Narrow-Nosed spookfish, only resides in New Zealand and Australian waters.
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"Their habitat makes them hard to study and monitor, meaning we don't know a lot about their biology or threat status," said Dr Brit Finucci, one of the scientists who discovered Australasian Narrow-Nosed spookfish.
The fish is only found in New Zealand and Australian waters and is known to live at a depth of up to 2,600 metres.
"Chimaeras are quite cryptic in nature – they can be hard to find in the deep ocean … and they generally don’t get the same attention sharks do, when it comes to research."
The new species of ghost shark was found about 750 km east of New Zealand’s coast in Chatham Rise, an ocean floor area.
The fish can reach a length of up to a metre and has milky-coloured eyes. This chocolate-brown fish was identified for its elongated snout which can make up half of its body's length.
About 55 species of ghost sharks have been identified across the world, 12 of which are found in South Pacific and New Zealand waters.
"It’s really neat to be able to contribute to science," she said. "Understanding the animal itself can feed into further research and whether they need conservation management."
A homage to 'ancient relative'
Finucci has named the species Harriota avia, giving her discovery a personal touch, Harriotta being the name of her grandmother.
"Avia means grandmother in Latin, I wanted to give this nod to her" Finucci explained, adding that her grandmother had supported her career throughout. "Sharks and ghost sharks are the old, ancient, relatives of fish, and I was naming the animal after an ancient relative of mine."
(With inputs from agencies)