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Ghostly Creature of the Deep Unveiled — New Species Emerges from Ocean's Abyss
Matthew Russell
Scientists aboard a research vessel, trawling the depths of the Andaman Sea, encountered a peculiar "ghost"-like creature, captivating not only by its appearance but also by its uniqueness as a species previously unknown to science.
Photo: PexelsMost chimaeras are found at depths greater than 500 meters.
The Enigmatic Find
This creature, with its peeling skin and iridescent green eyes, was initially mistaken for a known species. However, upon closer examination, researchers realized they had stumbled upon a new species of chimaera, christened Chimaera supapae, or the Andaman shortnose chimaera, the Miami Herald reports. Chimaeras, often referred to as ghost sharks or ratfish, inhabit the deep sea, typically residing over 1,600 feet below the surface.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Etrusko25A Chimaera monstrosa shark.
A Closer Look at the Andaman Shortnose Chimaera
The Andaman shortnose chimaera presents a "massive" head, "large," "iridescent green" eyes, and a "short," "bluntly pointed" snout. Its body, described as "thin," culminates in a thread-like tail, an anatomy distinct within the chimaera family, as detailed in the study published in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology.
Despite its ghostly moniker, the chimaera's live coloring is a "uniformly dark brown," devoid of any distinguishing spots or stripes, which contributes to its enigmatic allure.
Photo: PexelsSome deep sea creatures exhibit bioluminescence.
Significance of the Discovery
The significance of this discovery extends beyond the mere addition of a species to the chimaera family. It underscores the vast unexplored territories of our oceans and the potential for new species to illuminate the depths' ecological dynamics.
The researchers' analysis of the Andaman shortnose chimaera's genetic makeup revealed at least a 7.9% divergence from other known chimaera species, a significant evolutionary leap.
Photo: PexelsChimaera sharks diverged from their shark relatives about 400 million years ago.
Understanding Chimaeras: The Ocean's Mystical Dwellers
Chimaeras, closely related to sharks, skates, and rays, diverged from their more familiar relatives approximately 400 million years ago, the Shark Trust reports. Unlike sharks, chimaeras possess upper jaws fused to their skulls, have a single external opening for their gills, and feature three pairs of large, permanent grinding tooth plates. These unique characteristics set them apart in the cartilaginous fish family.
Life in the Depths
As MarineBio reports, Chimaeras are deep-sea dwellers, often found at depths exceeding 500 meters, which makes studying them in their natural habitat a challenging endeavor. Their diet primarily consists of bottom-dwelling invertebrates, which they crush with their specialized tooth plates.
Reproduction involves laying eggs directly onto the seafloor, a process that remains shrouded in mystery due to the lack of observational opportunities.
Photo: PexelsThere are yet many unexplored regions of our oceans.
Conservation and the Future
The discovery of the Andaman shortnose chimaera not only enriches our understanding of marine biodiversity but also raises awareness about the importance of conservation efforts, especially for deep-sea species. According to the Save Our Seas Foundation, the vulnerability of chimaeras to commercial fishing pressures, coupled with their slow growth and reproductive rates, underscores the need for sustainable management practices to protect these enigmatic creatures and their habitats.
The unveiling of the Andaman shortnose chimaera serves as a reminder of the ocean's vast uncharted territories and the continuous potential for groundbreaking discoveries. As we delve deeper into the mysteries of the deep, each finding brings us closer to understanding the complex web of life that thrives beneath the waves.