Tiny sharks have the ability to self-illuminate their prey

Sharks often sneak and sniff prey before they attack. But all this newly discovered shark needs to do is glow in the dark, and the prey will come to them.

This 14cm American Pocket Shark is the first of the species discovered in the Gulf of Mexico - according to a new study published by Tulane University. This fish is not scary, but is full of surprises.

Scientists have caught this tiny kitefin (kitefin) male in 2010 while studying sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2013, researcher Mark Grace of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found it a second time, in a luminous fish flock.

The American pocket shark is found in the Gulf of Mexico.

This is the second pocket shark ever caught and recorded, Grace said in a statement. The other was found in 1979 in the western Pacific Ocean . 'These two are two separate species, coming from separate oceans,' he said. 'Both are extremely rare' .

According to a new study published in June, the fish contains a glowing solution in a pocket line near two front fins. This solution is thought to attract prey, the animals will be "enticed" by the light when the tiny, nearly invisible predator attacks suddenly from below.

The tiny fish is only about 14cm long.

The glowing ocean creatures in the dark are not uncommon. NOAA estimates that up to 90% of animals living in areas near the water are capable of bioluminescence, but the study of deep-sea species is still quite rare.

The glow of an animal is often triggered by a course reaction that produces light energy. Creatures glow to attract partners, warning enemies to stay away, and in most cases to turn smaller creatures into a hearty meal.

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