Largest Glowing Shark Species Discovered Near New Zealand

 The Kitefin Shark is the largest glow-in-the-dark species with a spine that was discovered on the planet.  Researchers went ahead with the study of this shark by attempting to catch them and transferring them to dark, cold tanks so pictures could be taken.  Skin was dissected in order to try to examine and understand the luminosity of these sharks.  It was also compared to the Tiny Lantern Sharks, which also glow.  Many bioluminescent organisms glow is controlled by their nervous system, but that was not the case.  Instead, this shark's glow is controlled by the hormone melatonin.  In humans, this hormone helps us sleep, but for this shark species, it makes them glow.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/science/biggest-glowing-shark.html?searchResultPosition=1

I think this shows just how much of the ocean is undiscovered.  There is this 6-foot shark that glows swimming around in the ocean and we just discovered it now.  There could be many other species like it that you think would be easy to find, but we haven't found them yet.  The ocean is huge and there's a lot more to discover in its depths.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 9, 2021 at 8:54 AM

    i find it so fascinating that there are animals that can glow, since many cannot. I wonder if the glow makes it harder for the shark ( or any animal that glows ) due to predator's that are trying to catch them.

    ReplyDelete

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