The new study found a new species of shark in the Northwestern Australian waters. Experts named the discovery as Marshallae or the painted Hornshark.
The world of the ocean has many undiscovered marine species that scientists aim to unlock, especially in the deep sea.
The National Ocean Service - NOAA explained that about 80% of the ocean is said to be unmapped and undiscovered. With the help of advanced technology, experts slowly unearthed the secrets in the deep sea.
- NOAA also noted the difficulty in navigating the oceans and the limitations of marine vehicles.
In Australia, researchers reported that they discovered a new species of Australian shark in the Northwestern part of the country.
New shark species in Australia
Sharks. Researchers found a new species of shark in Northwestern Australian waters. The shark is named Heterodontus Marshallae, or the pained Hornshark.
A recent report published in Phys.org revealed the discovery of experts from the Australian National Fish Collection (ANFC).
The researchers were not expecting to discover a new shark species in Australia. They were in the waters to survey seabed habitats.
The study was also published in the Diversity journal that described the new shark species uncovered in Northwestern Australia.
- The report noted that Australia is an important place for the unique shark family of Heterodontidae that can thrive in temperate waters.
- With the brown-like color, horn sharks can hide in rocks and attack their potential prey.
Furthermore, the report said the new shark species showed unique teeth and horns. The AZ Animals explained that horn sharks have shark spines that help protect them.
Horn shark species are very sensitive to light. They spend their time hidden. The report added that horn sharks like to consume fish, shrimps and other crustaceans.
Meanwhile, researchers explained that they named the new shark Painted Hornshark or the Heterodontus marshallae after Dr. Linsay Marshall.
- Dr. Marshal managed to paint all the rays for a guidebook, the report said.
The study, published in Diversity, noted the two species of sharks:
- H. zebra can be found in parts of Japan and Indonesia, living in shallow waters.
- Meanwhile, the H. marshallae can be found in parts of Northwestern Australia.
Also Read: North Atlantic Right Whale Suffers from Worsening Decline in Population, New Report Shows
More facts about Horn Sharks
According to Florida Museum, the horn sharks can also be found in temperature or subtropical areas in the Gulf of California, Eastern Pacific Oceans and Central California.
Horn sharks are said to be the least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are listed as data deficient.
Also Read: Starving Sharks Believed to Consume Drugs Thrown on Florida Coasts, US
Did you know?
The NOAA Fishers explained a fantastic fact about sharks: they have no bones. The report explained that the mighty sharks could use their gills to filter oxygen and sharp eyesight to look for possible prey.
- While some sharks have horns, some species are unique in their ways. NOAA said that sharks don't have the same teeth and fingerprints.
- The report added that sharks likely emerged about 455 million years ago.
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