Caught a ghost shark with a strange shape

The newly discovered ghost shark has many strange characteristics and lives at a depth of hundreds of meters off the coast of Thailand .

Scientists discovered a never-before-seen species of ghost shark with a giant head, oversized iridescent eyes and plume-like fins in deep water in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand, Live Science said today . March 20 reported. This reclusive deep-sea fish, scientifically known as Chimaera supapae , is a cartilaginous fish in the oldest class of fish alive today, Chimaeriformes . They are distant relatives of sharks and rays. The researchers describe their findings in a paper published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology.

The shape of the ghost shark Chimaera supapae. (Photo: David A. Ebert).

According to David Ebert, program director of the Pacific Shark Research Center at the University of San Jose, California, and head of the research team, ghost sharks are very rare in these waters . Ghost sharks live on continental slopes and mid-ocean ridges. Found at depths of less than 500m, they lurk in dark water, feeding on bottom-dwelling animals such as crustaceans, mollusks and worms.

The new discovery helps increase the number of known ghost shark species in the world to 54 species. The deep-sea environment makes them very difficult to find, especially in the Andaman Sea, where depths in some areas reach over 4,400 m. The ghost shark's name comes from its large eyes and tapered, mouse-like body. Some species can grow up to two meters long.

The juvenile male specimen was discovered during a deep-sea survey project in 2018. Scientists collected it during a trawl on the bottom of the Andaman Sea at a depth of 772 - 775m below the water surface. The research team recognized this as a new species thanks to its large head, short snout and large eyes that account for more than 32% of its total head length.

C. supapae is a short-nosed ghost shark , 51 cm long with broad pectoral fins. Ebert suspects its feather-like fins help it maneuver flexibly through rocks. C. supapae's large, iridescent blue eyes help it see through pitch-black water. Its skin is dark brown with no recognizable patterns. This fish has a spike on the top of its head.

"In terms of evolution, ghost sharks are among the oldest fish species with a lineage dating back 300 - 400 million years ago. The discovery of a new species of ghost shark shows how little we know about the marine environment," Ebert speak.