After 40 years of research, people have identified a mysterious animal that leaves strange egg sacs in the deep sea.

Devil sharks, a new species of deep-sea animal, have just been discovered in Australian waters. (Photo: CSIRO/Australian National Fish Collection).

When searching for information on “devil shark”, or “apristurus ovicorrugatus” today you will only find one specimen of the small shark, characterized by bright white eyes, dark silky skin and a red egg case. unique groove.

Luckily this specimen is a female, about 47 cm long, with an intact egg sac. Dr. Will White, a senior research scientist who is the leader of the research team, said this is a new piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is missing 100 pieces.

His team worked backwards based on strange egg sacs found off the coast of Australia that were cataloged in the National Fish Collection 40 years ago. They tracked the fish’s breeding sites until they caught a living specimen.

This species of shark is most special in that it has black pupils and white surrounding irises. This is quite different from other deep-water sharks, which often have very dark, dark blue eyes that are almost black.

Initially, the research team thought they found a previously known fish species that differed only in its white iris, but then they realized this was a completely new species of fish with unique genetic characteristics. no two.

This new fish belongs to the group of cat sharks. Normally, cat sharks are the smallest of all shark species with an average length of nearly 70 cm and live in warm waters.
A unique egg sac of a devil shark caught on a small coral branch. (Photo: Photo: CSIRO/Australian National Fish Collection).

They have between 40 and 110 barbed teeth and are slow-moving carnivores that typically feed on small fish and invertebrates such as octopuses and squid. In deep water, devil sharks look like ghosts swimming quietly in the water. “I can imagine if I were a smaller prey, this devil shark would come to catch me like an angel” – Dr. White said.

The identification of the devil shark is an extremely important discovery for marine taxonomists. Thanks to this discovery, little-known marine biodiversity will become more vocal.

“You know, sharks and rays are huge animals compared to most other groups, and a lot of people think we know everything about them, but actually every year we’re finding new species. new species. And if you follow that trail, and catch a smaller fish, you will find many more” – Dr. White said. The ocean world is still mysterious compared to our current small understanding.