New Zealand Scientists Discover New Species of Ghost Shark

New Zealand scientists announced the discovery of a new ghost shark species, the Australasian Narrow-nosed Spookfish, which inhabits the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, particularly around Australia and New Zealand, Dawn reported yesterday.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) made the find during research in the Chatham Rise, approximately 1,000 kilometers east of New Zealand’s South Island.

Ghost sharks, or chimaeras, are related to sharks and rays but have cartilage skeletons. They feature haunting black eyes and smooth, light brown skin, feeding on crustaceans at depths reaching 2,600 meters with their beak-like mouths. Research scientist Brit Finucci, who named the species Harriotta avia in honor of her grandmother, noted that their ocean floor habitat complicates study and monitoring, leaving much about their biology and conservation status unknown.