A Tiny Shark with a Big Snout May Be One of the World’s Smallest
Etmopterus bulbosus
The scientific name given to this new shark.
lanternshark
A small shark group that lives in deep water.
photophores
Special skin cells that can make light.
What happened
Researchers described a new lanternshark from waters near Mauritius, in the southwestern Indian Ocean. They named it Etmopterus bulbosus. Its common name is the big-nosed lanternshark. The name comes from its large, rounded snout.
Only one specimen is known so far. It is a female found in a trawl from 400 to 500 meters deep. The shark measured 21.5 centimeters from its snout to its tail. Its body was brown and black, with a slight purple color when fresh. The research paper appeared in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
How researchers recognized a new species
Scientists did not rely on the unusual snout alone. They compared the shark’s body shape, side markings, tail markings, and skin structures. The shark has an enlarged patch of thorn-like dermal denticles above the pectoral-fin area. Dermal denticles are tiny tooth-like structures in shark skin.
The team also studied a part of mitochondrial DNA called COI. Available sequences from related sharks differed by at least 10.29 percent. The body differences and genetic evidence supported the conclusion that this shark belongs to a separate species.
The new shark was placed in the Etmopterus pusillus group. It resembles Etmopterus sentosus in some skin structures. However, it has a different snout and different body markings. These comparisons help show why species identification requires more than a quick look.
Why its size matters
Sharks are often imagined as large animals. Lanternsharks show another side of the group. The dwarf lanternshark is currently known as the smallest shark. It can reach about 21.2 centimeters. The new specimen measured 21.5 centimeters, so the two are extremely close in size.
That does not prove that the new species is the smallest. Scientists have measured only one individual. They do not yet know the species’ full growth range. The new shark is a contender, not a confirmed record holder.
What is confirmed so far
The Etmopterus genus contains 43 known species. Forty have received assessments from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Thirty-six are listed as Least Concern, three as Data Deficient, and one as Vulnerable. Many lanternsharks live deeper than bottom trawling usually reaches, which may reduce some fishing pressure.
Many Etmopterus species have also been reported to glow. Special skin cells called photophores produce that light. Scientists have suggested several possible uses, including attracting prey or warning predators. The new species itself has not been shown to glow.
What remains unknown
The large snout is the biggest unanswered question. Scientists do not know what it does. The single specimen also reveals little about the shark’s food, range, population, or behavior. It is difficult to study an animal that lives deep underwater and has been found only once.
What to watch next
More specimens would allow researchers to compare individuals. Live observations could show how the snout works and whether the shark produces light. New samples could also clarify its distribution and life cycle. For now, the discovery is valuable because it adds a new branch to the known shark family and shows how much remains hidden in deep water.
A New Shark Is Only 21.5 Centimeters Long
📰 Full story: A Tiny Shark with a Big Snout May Be One of the World’s Smallest
Scientists found a tiny new lanternshark near Mauritius. Its nose is unusually large.
Etmopterus bulbosus
The scientific name for the new shark.
species
A group of living things with important shared traits.
DNA
Information inside living cells that helps describe their bodies.
💡 The gist
- A new tiny lanternshark was found near Mauritius.
- It measured 21.5 centimeters from nose to tail.
- Scientists do not know whether it is the smallest shark.
What did scientists find?
The shark’s scientific name is Etmopterus bulbosus. Its common name is the big-nosed lanternshark. It lived in deep water near Mauritius, an island country in the Indian Ocean.
Researchers found one female body in a net. The net came from water 400 to 500 meters deep. The shark’s body was brown and black. It looked slightly purple when fresh. Its snout was unusually large and round.
Why is it a new species?
Scientists compared its body with related sharks. They checked its shape, body markings, and skin structures. The shark had a special patch of tiny, thorn-like scales.
The team also checked part of its DNA. DNA is information inside living cells. The DNA differences supported the body evidence. Together, the results showed a separate species.
A species is a group of living things with important shared traits. Scientists use several kinds of evidence when making this decision. A strange-looking face alone is not enough.
Why does its size matter?
The shark was 21.5 centimeters long. Another lanternshark is currently known as the smallest shark. That shark can reach about 21.2 centimeters. The two sizes are very close.
Still, one body cannot show the new species’ full size. Scientists need more individuals. The new shark may be a contender, but it is not the confirmed smallest shark.
What is still unknown?
Scientists do not know why its snout is so large. They also do not know what the shark eats. Its population and range are unknown too.
Some relatives can make light with special skin cells. Scientists do not know whether this new shark glows. More specimens could answer these questions. They could also show how this tiny shark lives in deep water.
A Very Small Shark Has a Very Big Snout
📰 Full story: A Tiny Shark with a Big Snout May Be One of the World’s Smallest
A new shark was found deep near Mauritius. It is 21.5 centimeters long.
Mauritius
An island country in the Indian Ocean.
lanternshark
A shark that lives in deep water.
Etmopterus bulbosus
The new name given to this shark.
Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean.
Scientists found a little shark near it. The shark came from deep water.
People call it a lanternshark, a shark from deep water. Scientists gave it the name Etmopterus bulbosus.
This is a new kind of shark. That means scientists had not named this kind before.
The shark was 21.5 centimeters long. Its nose part was big and round.
Only one shark has been found so far. Scientists do not know why its nose part is big.
Some lanternsharks can make light with their skin. Scientists do not know if this shark makes light.
People need to find more of these sharks. Then they can learn how the sharks live.