Scientists have discovered a new species of ghost shark, the Australasian Narrow-nosed Spookfish, living exclusively in the waters off New Zealand. The discovery highlights how much remains unknown about the deep sea.
It may be early to get the Halloween decorations out for most, but in the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean spooky season is well underway.
Ghost sharks, also known as chimaeras, are a group of cartilaginous fish closely related to sharks and rays. The newly discovered species has several distinctive features, including a long and narrow snout, broad pectoral fins, scale-free skin, and beak-like teeth.They are largely confined to the ocean floor up to 2,600 meters deep, feeding off crustaceans such as shrimp and molluscs.
Previously, it was considered to be part of a single globally distributed species. But research later showed that it is genetically and morphologically different to its cousins. "Ghost sharks always surprise me!" Finucci told NBC News on Tuesday."It just goes to show how little we know about our oceans, particularly the deep sea."
However, we still don't know their lifespan, population size or role in the ecosystem, Finucci noted."There’s still a lot to learn about ghost sharks!”
Ghost Shark New Species Pacific Ocean Deep Sea Australasian Narrow-Nosed Spookfish
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Spookfish: Scientists in New Zealand discover new ghost shark species in the PacificPeter Guo is a fellow on NBC’s Asia Desk, based in Hong Kong.
Read more »
New species of ghost shark discovered by New Zealand scientistsScientists have discovered a new species of ghost shark that lives in deep ocean waters near Australia and New Zealand.
Read more »
New species of 'ghost shark' discovered living deep in the Pacific OceanThe Australasian narrow-nosed spookfish has a bulging black eyes and a wispy tail.
Read more »
New Hammerhead Shark Species Named After Paul G. AllenA newly discovered hammerhead shark species has been named after the late Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and a prominent advocate for marine conservation. The discovery highlights Allen's lasting impact on ocean ecosystems through his philanthropic efforts.
Read more »
New shark species named for late Microsoft co-founderA hammerhead shark species discovered by FIU scientists finally has a name and its namesake is the late Paul G. Allen, philanthropist and cofounder of Microsoft.
Read more »
New Shark Species Found but Marks a 'Tragic' DiscoveryAfter years of research, scientists have officially named the new species, which is believed to be endangered.
Read more »