Posted on 08/20/2025 8:28:27 AM PDT by Red Badger
Let’s face it, the sea is full of proper freaky looking creatures, from Barbie lobsters to disco worms and everything in between. However, normally in the shark world, the species relies on sharp teeth and speed to make an impression. Well, one shark species has taken a rather different approach from stealthy gray. For the first time, a nurse shark has been recorded in the Caribbean being bright orange.
The nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) was seen in Costa Rican waters during a sport fishing trip near Tortuguero National Park last year, and the photos were shared on its Facebook page. According to a new paper, the shark was captured at a depth of 37 meters (and subsequently released), was around 2 meters long (6.5 feet), and had yellow-orange skin. This indicates a condition known as xanthochromism and is the first documented case of xanthism in the species and the first record of any species in the Caribbean Sea.
It also had white eyes "with no visible irises", instead of the typical black, which the researchers suggest indicates a rare case of albino-xanthochromism rather than just xanthism alone. Until now, there has been no documentation of partial or full xanthism in cartilaginous fishes in the Caribbean or the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica.
The cause of xanthochromism is considered to be genetic, a pigmentation condition that causes an excess of yellow-orange tones in the skin, hair, or fur of animals, similar to melanism or leucism, and has occurred in a wide variety of species. However, it is thought that the condition could cause a reduced survival rate due to making the animals more obvious to predators.
In the case of the nurse shark, this species is considered a mid-level predator, feeding on small fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. The authors note its size suggests the orange individual has reached adult size, and “it appears that this unusual pigmentation did not affect its survival.”
While the condition is known to have a genetic basis, the authors acknowledge that other factors could be at play in creating the orange hue. “Factors such as inbreeding, environmental stress, elevated temperatures, and hormonal imbalances may also influence pigmentation,” explain the authors, and suggest that further research into the natural genetic variability of nurse sharks, as well as the environmental conditions of the northern Caribbean, could shed light on those questions.
Elsewhere in the world of differently colored animals, check out Inspector Clouseau, the world’s only known pink manta ray, Snowflake and Alba are the only known gorilla and orangutan to display complete albinism, and even penguins can don a different colored suit once in a while.
The paper is published in Marine Biodiversity.
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Orange shark bad?
Yes. Vilified for trying to broker peace in the underwater world
.
I almost bought one myself.
But I didn't have a place to put it and the food bills would have been enormous.
Off the coast of Costa Rica.
Oops, you’re right!
:)
Deer may not see it as a warning:Because deer don't see orange in the same way, they are less likely to associate it with danger.
There's probably more where that one came from..
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Pumpkin Spice.
I think that’s a Fukushima Shark
I fear it maybe caused by Global Warming (Climate Change on cold days)!
A long night with the bong and a bag of Cheetos....
“one shark does not create a statistically significant cause.”
.
But indicative of what propels Evolution...
Climate change
Orca spots something moving.
Human sacrifice, sharks and muppets living together, mass hysteria!
Circus peanuts. My favorite marshmallow candy. Just bought some from Amazon. I keep them on hand to have when I start feeling hypoglycemic.
Rocky Road bars were the best marshmallow candy, but they quit making them not too long ago. I still like Peeps, too, except for the weird flavors. Peeps are better when you toast them on the gas stove.
I remember Rocky Road candy bars. A company named Hollywood made Milkshake candy bars. It had a fluffy malted center, and of course they stopped making them. I like milk chocolate, and never cared for chocolate with nuts or chocolate and peanut butter. I like peanut butter and nuts, but not with chocolate. Nestle’s Crunch bar was another favorite. Haven’t had one in years. I also liked Nestle’s Milk Chocolate bars, but they don’t sell them in normal bar size anymore. The only place you can find them is in a bag of different kind of miniature bars. No sense in buying a bag, picking out the plain chocolate, and tossing the rest that I don’t want. When I was a kid, candy bars like Rocky Road, Milkshake, 3 Musketeers, Mars Bars, etc. cost a nickel.
The orange would only be visible to a depth of about 33 feet because the colors that make up sunlight are filtered out in order of wavelength as it passes through water, longest first. So (ROYGBIV) red is absorbed the quickest and orange is second. Which is why experienced scuba divers usually favor shallower dives, because that’s where all the spectacular colors are. Go deep enough and everything is a shade of blue (before it turns altogether black).
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