Deep in the ocean, more than 600 meters below sea level, Australian scientists have identified a new species of bioluminescent fish: one lantern sharkfirst detected in the waters of the Gascoyne Marine Park, off the west coast of Australia. It’s a discovery that enriches knowledge about a still largely unseen world, where life has adapted astonishingly to the absence of light, extreme pressure and constant temperatures.
Even though it is a shark, in reality it is an animal small in size: the largest specimen observed is barely sized 40 centimeters. It has a tapered body, two dorsal fins equipped with pointed spines and very large eyes, adapted to see any changes in light in an always dark environment. But what makes this fish special is its property ability to emit light. Along the stomach and sides there are special structures called photophorewhich produces a natural glow. It is likely that this light serves to camouflage itself when observed from below, blending with the few rays that penetrate the water, or to communicate with other specimens of the same species.
The new lantern shark was discovered in a scientific mission conducted in 2022 by CSIRO, Australia’s national research agency, in collaboration with Parks Australia. The expedition aims to map and document marine biodiversity in the Gascoyne Marine Park, a protected area located about 20 kilometers offshore. In addition to sharks, hundreds of samples of unanalyzed organisms have been collected, to show this how little we know sea depth anchor. Among the newly described species, a small crustacean also stands out: the porcelain crab Porcellanella in shortjust long 15 millimeters. It lives in symbiosis with sea urchins, soft corals related to gorgonians, whose whitish leaves camouflage perfectly thanks to their opalescent white-yellow color. It has been observed up to depth 122 meters. Unlike most crabs, which catch food with their claws, these filter-feeding crabs feed on plankton, using a modified mouth with long hairs that sweep through the water in search of small pieces of food.
Australia is considered to be one of them biodiversity center most important on the planet: it is home to more than a million species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else. However, most of its depths remain unexplored. Therefore, each new species identified contributes to better understanding how the abyssal ecosystem works and how sensitive they are to environmental imbalances. Trawling, underwater drilling and ocean warming are in fact changing environments that have remained unchanged for millions of years. Knowing who inhabits these depths is the first step to protecting them. And this little guy Sharks glow in the darkand all subsequent species discovered, remember that beneath the surface there is still a world to explore. As long as we can keep him alive.
