THREE NEW SHARK SPECIES THIS WEEK!

The second week of July 2023 something extraordinarily beautiful happened, the findings of 3 new species of sharks for were announced

A new angel sharks species was identified, from the western Indian Ocean on the Mascarene Plateau and off southwestern India in 100–500 m depths, the Lea’s angel shark Squatina leae, was recognized to be different genetically and morphologically distinct from its congeneric species Squatina africanae, following unique morphological features.  This species was first detected in 1988 after finding  three unusual, small sharks, but till today was completely understood. The angel shark is named after one of the author’s fiancee’s late sister, Lea-Marie Cordt.

-  Squatina leae, adult male, in dorsolateral.

Angel sharks are “flatter sharks”, possesing distinctly broad, dorsoventrally flattened bodies, a short snout with large mouth and nostrils, eyes on top of the head close to the large spiracles, very large pectoral fins, and a lateral caudal keel. They've evolved to be ambush predators, they lie in wait for prey to pass closely overhead before attacking.

Reference (Open Access):  Weigmann et al., 2023. Revision of the Western Indian Ocean Angel Sharks, Genus Squatina (Squatiniformes, Squatinidae), with Description of a New Species and Redescription of the African Angel Shark Squatina africana Regan, 1908. Biology 

From North Australia, another species of hornshark is described based on six whole specimens and a single egg case. The painted hornshark Heterodontus marshallae was previously considered to be the same with the zebra bullhead shark another well know bullhead shark from the central Indo-Pacific from Japan  to Australia, but genetic and morphological analyses indicated the sharks were different, but looking alike. The painted hornshark is endemic to northwestern Australia and occurs in deeper waters, at 125–229 m below surface.

-  Lateral view of two mature female painted hornshark Heterodontus marshallae showing small differences between individuals

The painted hornsharks is named in honour of Dr. Lindsay Marshall www.stickfigurefish.com.au a scientific illustrator and elasmobranch scientist who expertly painted all the sharks and rays of the world for the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life Project.

Reference (Open Access): White et al., 2023 Species in Disguise: A New Species of Hornshark from Northern Australia (Heterodontiformes: Heterodontidae). Diversity.

And from an unidentified shark egg collected from the deep waters of northwestern Australia, in 2011 recently helped researchers identify a new species of deep water cat shark. Called ridged-egg catshark Apristurus ovicorrugatus after its eggs, it was collected in the earlys 90 but remained unknown to date. This sharks presents white eyes, and is small in size, reaching less than a half meter in length. .

- Lateral view of female Apristurus ovicorrugatus before preserved. Photo by  CSIRO. 

Egg cases belonging to this species had been documented as early as the 1980s, but could not be matched to any species of Australian shark until recently scientists examined a shark specimen of previously uncertain identity in the CSIRO collection.

 -egg cases of Apristurus ovicorrugatus. Scale bar is 10 mm

Reference (Open Access) White,et al., 2023 What came first, the shark or the egg? Discovery of a new species of deepwater shark by investigation of egg case morphology. Journal of Fish Biology.

unfortunately there's only 10 options so i had to put my personal top 10

Always nice to see an Angelshark. But the timing couldn't be better. At a distance, I went in front of her to take a shot with the 60mm lens. Her mouth went open and she yawned! If you ever wondered if they had teeth, well now you know haha. Amazing encounter. Please don't forget to support the Angel Shark Project by sending your Angelshark encounters to them! https://angelsharksmap.zsl.org/

assortment

写りは悪いけど普段みられないカスザメをみられて嬉しかった

ダイバーさんが掘り出してくれました

@海響館

The photos are not very good quality, but I am glad to see so many cute moments of angelsharks. They are usually sleeping in the sand. The divers dug them out!

@Kaikyokan

Angelshark (Squatina squatina)

Fishes of the World. Written by Hans Hvass. Illustrated by Wilhelm Eigener. Originally published in 1964.

Internet Archive

Australian Angelshark (Squatina australis), family Squatinidae, Bicheno Dive Centre, Tasmania, Australia

photograph by Nick Long

Special greek shark!!

I'm in Greece right now so for the next couple days I will only cover sharks that can be found around the Mediterranean sea!

Daily shark day 10:

Angel Shark

Squatina squatina, the angelshark or monkfish, is a species of shark in the family Squatinidae (known generally also as angel sharks), that were once widespread in the coastal waters of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Well-adapted for camouflaging itself on the sea floor, the angelshark has a flattened form with enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins, giving it a superficial resemblance to a ray. This species can be identified by its broad and stout body, conical barbels, thornless back (in larger individuals), and grayish or brownish dorsal coloration with a pattern of numerous small light and dark markings (that is more vivid in juveniles). It measures up to 2.4 m (7.9 ft) long. Like other members of its family, the angelshark is a nocturnal ambush predator that buries itself in sediment and waits for passing prey, mostly benthic bony fishes, but also skates and invertebrates. An aplacental viviparous species, females bear litters of seven to 25 pups every other year. The angelshark normally poses little danger to humans, though if provoked, it is quick to bite. Since the mid-20th century, intense commercial fishing across the angelshark's range has decimated its population via bycatch – it is now locally extinct or nearly so across most of its northern range, and the prospects of the remaining fragmented subpopulations are made more precarious by its slow rate of reproduction. As a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed this species as Critically Endangered.

Palestine will be free 🍉

Jordan Bream (Acanthobrama lissneri) and Sawback Angelshark (Squatina aculeata)

Angel Shark

Squatina squatina

Time to meet our contestants:

On one side, this bitch looks like a ray, on the other this other bitch is known for chomping on submarines and - well - anything.

Some facts:

Angel shark (genus: Squatina): these sharks spend their days under the sand with only its eyes out, waiting to surprise their prey. They grow up only to around 2,1 meters (7 feet). They're known for getting back problems such as scoliosis due to stress (same dude). Most of them are innofensive to humans but can leave a bite if annoyed.

Cookie Cutter Shark (Isistius brasiliensis): these Sharks are named due to their bite, round and cookie sized, they're parasitic animals that attach themselves to chomp. The underside of their body have bioluminescence, so they glow. Despite the fact that attacks on humans have been knowns, they still aren't a threat to us.

Angel shark (squatina squatina)

These sharks camouflage in the sand!

Unfortunately they are critically indangered

oh i missed some design odds and ends in that assortment. these two again.

Frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) | Angel shark (Squatina squatina)

Sharkest shark polls

Japanese angelshark | Squatina japonica

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This little guy is an Australian angel-shark (Squatina australis) and is on sale (30USD or an equivalent amount in any currency)