The deep-sea shark with a bizarre shape is the third species of the catshark genus Galeus recorded from the Philippines.
According to Sci-News, the new species has been named Galeus Friedrichi, and it is related to two other species previously found in the Philippines: Galeus sauteri and Galeus schultzi.
The catshark genus Galeus belongs to the Pentanchidae family, which is part of the order of white-eyed sharks, the most diverse lineage of the subclass Elasmobranchii. The genus Galeus itself is one of the richest shark genera, with nearly 20 species recognized by science.
Bizarre portrait of the newly discovered shark in the Philippines – (Photo: Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation).
Members of this genus are found in the Atlantic Ocean, the western and central Pacific regions, as well as in the Gulf of California.
They are also known as sawtail catsharks, due to the unique serrated structure found along the upper edge of their tail fin.
Sharks belonging to this genus are typically harmless, relatively small, and slender, with a robust body, thick, rough skin, and many species exhibit patterns, particularly this one, with skin resembling the coats of spotted or calico cats – although the spots are all one color.
The new species has a longer body compared to its relatives – (Photo: Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation).
The new species also shares a shape similar to most other members of the genus, with a relatively long and pointed head, a wide mouth, and is specialized in hunting small invertebrates. The most notable difference is the absence of color spots.
The new species has been studied and analyzed by a team of scientists led by scholars David Ebert and Jessica Jang from the Pacific Shark Research Center (based in the USA).
“This genus has a wide range, primarily appearing on continental shelves and along island slopes at depths of around 100 to 2,000 meters.”
Galeus Friedrichi, also known as the Philippine sawtail shark, was previously known through several type specimens caught off Sikayab-Bukana – Philippines at a depth of 550 meters; however, it has only recently been confirmed by the scientific community as a completely new species.
Its size is relatively large compared to its relatives, measuring over 50 cm in length, with more vertebrae.
The research team revealed that they are also analyzing a total of 9 catshark species, of which 3 species – including the newly identified one – have only been named by science in the past 15 years.
“This shows how much there is still to explore in this environment, especially as global fishing expands into the deep sea,” the authors wrote in their publication in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
