Weird demon shark with bright white eyes discovered off Australia

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A brand new species of deep-sea shark with shiny white eyes has lastly been recognized, many years after a useless pregnant feminine of the species was first collected off the coast of Western Australia. The “ghost” shark was initially misidentified, and was solely pegged as a brand new species after scientists took a second take a look at its weird egg instances that had languished in museum storage for years.

The newfound species, which was described in a brand new examine revealed April 23 within the Journal of Fish Biology (opens in new tab), has been named Apristurus ovicorrugatus, which is derived from the Latin for egg, “ovi,” and “corrugatus,” that means corrugated, in reference to the corrugated egg instances that led to the species’ discovery. 

The pregnant feminine, which was caught in 1992 and held in a museum assortment, was carrying a single egg case.  (Picture credit score: White et al/Journal of Fish Biology)

Together with its distinctive egg instances, A. ovicorrugatus additionally possesses uncommon, shiny white irises.