Ghost sharks are among the most unusual of sharks. They have made striking adaptations to survive According to Newsweek scientists have found a new ghost shark species. This creature lives in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand. The new ghost shark is one of several dozen members of the chimaera family.
According to Britannica:
“Chimaeras are tapered fishes with large pectoral and pelvic fins, large eyes, and two dorsal fins, the first preceded by a sharp spine. They have slender tails, from which the name ratfish, applied to some, has been derived. There are about 47 species of chimaeras, ranging in length from about 60 to 200 cm (24 to 80 inches) and in colour from silvery to blackish. The species are placed in three families: Chimaeridae (including the species called rabbit fish), characterized by a rounded or cone-shaped snout; Callorhinchidae (elephant fishes), with an unusual, hoe-shaped, flexible snout; and Rhinochimaeridae (long-nosed chimaeras), with an extended, pointed snout.”
Nwswek said:
“Chimaera or ghost sharks—also known as rat fish, spookfish or rabbit fish—are distant relatives of sharks and rays, having diverged from their cousins about 400 million years ago. Ghost sharks living fossils of sorts, as they have retained many primitive characteristics similar to ancient fish species.”
The new ghost shark is one of several unusual sharks that have been in the news lately including the Greenland shark. That shark can live for centuries. Adapted for cold water it has surprised scientists by being found in tropical waters.
