A new species of ghost shark or “spookfish” was discovered lurking in the deep, dark waters off the coast of New Zealand. The Australasian narrow-nosed spookfish (Harriotta avia) is exclusive to New Zealand and Australia’s waters and is part of a group of cartilaginous fish that are closely related to rays and sharks called chimaeras.
They are known for smooth skin that does not have any scales and generally feed off crustaceans such as shrimp and molluscs with their distinctive beak-like teeth.
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“Harriotta avia is unique due to its elongated, narrow and depressed snout; long, slender trunk; large eyes; and very long, broad pectoral fins. It is a lovely chocolate brown color,” NIWA Fisheries Scientist Brit Finucci said in a statement.
Finucci found this new species during a research survey for Fisheries New Zealand, where they were collected in the Chatham Rise off the eastern coast of the country near the South Island.
“Ghost sharks like this one are largely confined to the ocean floor, living in depths of up to 2,600 meter [8,530 feet],” said Finucci. “Their habitat makes them hard to study and monitor, meaning we don’t know a lot about their biology or threat status, but it makes discoveries like this even more exciting.”
This group of mysterious bottom-dwelling fish also includes ratfish, rabbitfish, and elephant fish. Scientists previously thought that this new species was part of one globally distributed species, but new research found that it is actually genetically and morphologically different from its cousins.
Finucci also gave it the scientific name Harriotta avia in honor of her grandmother, but also their place in the shark family tree.
“Avia means grandmother in Latin; I wanted to give this nod to her because she proudly supported me through my career as a scientist,” said Finucci. “Chimaeras are also rather ancient relatives–the grandmas and grandpas–of fish and I thought the name was well suited.”
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According to the IUCN, no species of chimaera are listed as Endangered. Four are considered Vulnerable, four more are Near Threatened, and several others are listed as Data Deficient.
However, over one-third of all sharks, rays, and chimaeras are still at risk of extinction due to overfishing.
This new ghost shark is also not the only new species that appears ready for spooky season. A team in the Philippines recently discovered a large new species of fanged frog, Limnonectes cassiopeia. Some of these amphibians can grow as big as chickens and their fangs are generally believed to be used in male-on-male combat.
