A team of marine scientists from California has discovered a new species of deep-sea lanternshark that has the ability to conceal itself from its prey by blending in dark waters with the help of its black skin.
Victoria Vásquez and her colleagues at the Pacific Shark Research Center in Moss Landing found the new shark species in an area of the Pacific Ocean near the Central America coast. It lives at a depth of around 2,742 to 4,734 feet.
While the lanternshark was already given the official name Etmoterus benchleyi, they decided to take a less conventional route in choosing a common name for the creature.
"The common name we have suggested, Ninja Lanternshark, refers to the shark's color which is a uniform sleek black as well as the fact that it has fewer photophores [organs that emit light] than other species of lanternsharks," Vásquez explained.
"Based on that, we felt those unique characteristics would make this species stealthy like a ninja. The common name was actually proposed by my little cousins (ages 8 to 14 years old)."
Stealthy Shark
Despite being a lanternshark, the Etmopterus benchleyi is adept at using its glow to help it hide behind the darkness of deep oceans.
According to the researchers, the lanternshark allows its glow to become bright enough in order to conceal its shadow but still maintain a degree of camouflage so that other creatures will not be able to see it.
The team believes that if they can find more specimens of the deep-sea creature, they would be able to unlock more secrets to its unique biology. As of the moment, only eight Ninja Lanternsharks have been found since 2010.
Vásquez said that they are still trying to discover more information about the new shark species. The biggest Etmopterus benchleyi measured about 515 millimeters (20 inches) long. It carried a few eggs with it which is why they believe it was an adult lanternshark.
The researchers have asked help of people working off the Pacific Ocean side of the Central American coast in finding an adult male specimen of the Ninja Lanternshark.
Origin Of The Lanternshark's Name
The Ninja Lanternsharks' official name, Etmopterus benchleyi, was created after Peter Benchley, the famed American author who wrote the novel Jaws in 1974. He also co-wrote the screenplay for the book's eventual film adaptation.
Vásquez pointed out that even though the popular film helped paved the way for sharks to earn a terrifying reputation, Benchley tried to change their negative image by establishing the Benchley Awards, which was designed to recognize people's contributions to the conservation of the world's oceans.
The researchers consider the Etmopterus benchleyi as a "lost shark," a term given to shark species that do not get the same recognition as more charismatic creatures such the Great White shark.
Vásquez said that between the years 2000 and 2009, marine researchers were able to discover 18 new Chondrichthyan species, which is the group of aquatic animals that sharks, ghost sharks, skates and stingrays belong to, every year.
In November, researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia captured and tagged two rare adult speartooth sharks at Queensland's Cape York Peninsula.
Speartooths were first discovered in the Bizant River in 1982. However, they proved to be too elusive to allow scientists to carry out studies on the marine creatures.
The recent catching of two speartooth sharks was the first instance where live specimens of the rare shark were ever documented.
The findings of the Pacific Shark Research Center study are featured in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
