Researchers in New Zealand announced on Tuesday the identification of a new species of ghost shark, a deep-sea predator capable of hunting in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.
The research team reported the discovery of this narrow-snouted species in the Chatham Rise, a region in the Pacific Ocean stretching over 1,000 kilometers east of New Zealand.
Ghost sharks, also known as chimaeras, are related to sharks and rays. They have a cartilaginous skeleton and feed on crustaceans at depths of up to 2,600 meters.
Researcher Brit Finucci, who named the species “Harriotta avia” in honor of her grandmother, explained that “ghost sharks like this one are primarily confined to the ocean floor.”
She added, “Their environment makes them difficult to study and observe, meaning we know very little about their life cycle or their status on the endangered species list. This makes discoveries like this all the more exciting.”
This ghost shark was previously considered part of a single global species until researchers uncovered genetic and morphological differences that distinguish it from similar species.
