New shark species glows in the dark, weighs two pounds and has a huge nose
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 05:02
in Biology & Nature
Like finding a needle in a haystack, a team of scientists has discovered a new species of shark measuring less than a foot long and weighing under 2 pounds full-grown. This miniature, "glow-in-the-dark" shark is a member of the Lanternshark family (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae), which was serendipitously found 1,000 feet below the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It has taken more than 17 years to identify this new species (Etmopterus lailae ) since it was first discovered but was well worth the wait as this elusive creature is yet to be seen in the wild.