A giant shark that uses bioluminescence as camouflage to attack prey is nearly 1,000 feet below the surface of the New Zealand coast.
- A comet shark showing bioluminescence was seen in New Zealand
- This is the first time this feature has been observed in shark species
- It lives deep below sea level where light cannot reach
- Experts believe he uses the ability to hide from his prey in order to attack
- They also found a bright black belly lamp shark and a southern flashlight shark
There are a number of deep-sea creatures that glow in the dark, but a team studying marine life has the first “giant luminous shark.”
Researchers saw the kitefun shark off the east coast of New Zealand during a survey last year, along with two others: a black-bellied shark and a southern shark, which also possesses bioluminescence.
The comet shark can grow nearly six feet long and normally lives 984 feet below sea level, considering it the largest bright vertebrate known.
The three unique creatures live in an area of the ocean called the “twilight zone,” which stretches 3,200 feet below sea level and out of the reach of light.
The study suggests that, living in a region without light, there is no place for sharks to hide and that they use their bright body as camouflage; they appear backlit against the shiny surface of the water.
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There are a number of deep-sea creatures that glow in the dark, but a team studying marine life has the first “giant luminous shark.” Researchers saw the kitefun shark off the east coast of New Zealand during a survey last year
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, was conducted by researchers from Belgium and New Zealand, who made the findings in January 2020 and published their findings on 26 February.
The species was collected at Chatham Rise, which is an area of the ocean floor in eastern New Zealand.
And, although the species are known to the scientific community, this is the first time that the phenomenon of bioluminescence has been observed in them.
This phenomenon, also called “living light” or “cold light”, is caused by a chemical reaction in a fish that contains the luciferin molecule that produces light when it reacts with light.
The comet shark can grow nearly six feet long and normally lives 984 feet below sea level, considering it the largest bright vertebrate known. Experts suggest that the shark uses the skill as camouflage when attacking prey
“Bioluminescence has often been seen as a spectacular but rare event at sea, but given the immensity of the deep sea and the appearance of luminous organisms in this area, it is increasingly evident that it produces light at depth. it must play an important role “The largest ecosystem on our planet,” the researchers shared in the published study.
“This first experimental study of three New Zealand light shark species provides an insight into the diversity of shark bioluminescence and highlights the need for more research to help understand these unusual deep-sea inhabitants: bright sharks.” .
The study focused primarily on the comet shark, as researchers were perplexed that large vertebrates had illuminating abilities.
They found that although it has few predators, the comet shark has one of the lowest cruising speeds measured in sharks, suggesting that it “has a high burst capacity.”
The team found two more sharks with bioluminescence skills: a black-backed shark (pictured) and a southern-backed shark.
After analyzing the stomach contents of a specimen, the team found that it normally feeds on smaller lantern sharks that have faster swimming speeds.
Knowing this, the team hypothesizes that the comet shark uses the luminescence of the ocean floor light while searching for and hunting prey, along with allowing it to attack in stealth mode.