Only the second one ever found. Makes you wonder what else is down there.
Posted on 04/24/2015 6:12:53 PM PDT by BBell
A rare, tiny "pocket shark" found about 190 miles off the Louisiana coast is only the second of its kind ever discovered, according to Tulane University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists.
The fish was caught five years ago during a Gulf of Mexico research expedition, frozen and then sent to Tulane researchers in 2013. They ultimately identified the species and compiled a study that was published this week in Zootaxa, the international journal of taxonomy.
The 5 ½-inch male juvenile is unique because of the twin pockets next to its front fins. Those pockets are believed to emit clouds of glowing fluid to help the shark attract prey, deter predators or communicate with others of its kind, said Tulane biologist Michael Doosey, who helped identify the shark and co-authored the study.
"We don't yet know how these glands work and what advantages it might give to a species like this," Doosey said Friday (April 24). "It's a creature that lives in the middle of the dark, deep, cold ocean and no other shark species have anything like it."
The first recorded specimen of this shark -- scientific name: Mollisquama sp. -- was collected in 1979 in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of Peru and Chile. It was a female, likely an adult, and about 20-inches long.
"It is an incredibly rare species of shark," Doosey said. "There are rare animals around the world, but this is unusual because of how bizarre this shark is and the unusual aspects of its anatomy."
The fact that the Gulf of Mexico shark was a newborn -- it still had an unhealed scar from its umbilical cord -- likely means that it wasn't alone.
"It must have been pupped in the Gulf of Mexico, so I would say that at least its
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Only the second one ever found. Makes you wonder what else is down there.
ping
Always thought “pocket shark” was just a bad euphemism.
They were Great Whites before the BP oil spill destroyed all marine life in the Gulf...
ROFLMAO!!
Time to whip out the Pocket Fisherman!
I think we’re gonna need a bigger pocket.
Is that a shark in your pocket, or .... ?
I hope they’re not too rare, they would look yummy with a lemon on top of a broiled filet.
“Makes you wonder what else is down there.”
That it does!! Neat little fellow.
Are you saying that no whites remain in the Marines?
Ba da flippin' bing!
Fringed fins? Does it make for a quieter swim?
biology not a settled science?
That’s James Carville.
So maybe the pockets are for spare change?
Suky Tawdry prolly helped him...
They were gong to call them Not So Great White, but Pocket Shark sounder cuter.
Looks like one of Michelle’s school lunches.
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