New Zealand scientists have discovered a rare baby ghost shark, a little-known species of fish that lives in the murky depths of the ocean.
Ghost sharks – also known as chimeras – are rarely seen, and sightings of their young are even more uncommon.
The newborn shark was collected at a depth of about 1.2 km underwater near the South Island.
Scientists say the discovery deepens understanding of the species’ juvenile stage.
Brit Finucci, a member of the team, said the discovery was made by accident while conducting a trawl survey of underwater populations.
“Deep water species are generally difficult to find and, like ghost sharks in particular, tend to be quite enigmatic,” she tells the BBC. “So we just don’t see them very often.”
Scientists at the National Institute for Aquatic and Atmospheric Research believe the baby shark was born recently as its belly was still full of egg yolk.
Ghost shark embryos develop in egg capsules laid on the seafloor and feed on a yolk until they are ready to hatch.
Finucci explains that juvenile ghost sharks may have different characteristics from their adult versions, which makes the discovery all the more significant.
“Pups can live in very different habitats, they can have different diets, they can even look very different from adults.
“Finding the calf helps us better understand the biology and part of the ecology of the species,” she said.
Finucci says the first step would be to discover the species of the baby shark.
“Let’s take a small tissue sample and random genetics,” she says. “Then we’ll do a bunch of morphometrics or body measurements, which will also help us assess what species we’re looking at.”
Ghost sharks are not real sharks, but a species of fish closely related to sharks and rays. They are cartilaginous – meaning their skeletons are mostly made up of cartilage – giving them a mysterious, ethereal quality.
Most ghost shark species inhabit the seafloor, although some species prefer to live in shallow coastal waters.
