Scientists discover glow-in-the-dark shark in Pacific

Scientists have discovered new species of glow-in-the-dark shark living 1,000 feet below the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the northwestern Hawaiian islands.
It has been named Etmopterus lailae and belongs to lanternshark family. It has an unusually large nose, weighs a little less than a kilo and measures less than a foot. This unique features and characteristics make it different form other lanternsharks.

Key Facts

Etmopterus lailae has a strange head shape which is large and bulgy snout where its nostrils and olfactory organs are located. It dwells in a deep sea environment with almost no light so it has big sniffer to find food.
It has flank markings that go forward and backward on their bellies and a naked patch without scales on the underside of its snout. Like other lanternsharks, it is also bio-luminescent. Its flanks on the bottom of its belly glow in the dark. The markings on its belly and tail also are specific to it.
This species is understudied because of its size and the fact that it lives in very deep water. It is not easily visible or accessible like so many other sharks.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2017