Something out of ‘Alien’: Rare frilled shark caught off Australian coast

A bizarre shark caught by a deep-sea fisherman off the coast of New South Wales, Australia, has sparked controversy over its identification. The mysterious shark, with bulging eyes and rough skin, was captured by Trapman Bermagui at a depth of 650 meters, according to a report by Live Science on September 24. After posting pictures of the creature on social media, it garnered significant attention. The images revealed its rough, sandpaper-like skin, large and pointed snout, protruding eyes, and peculiar jaw structure.

The unusual appearance of the creature led to a debate among social media users about its classification, with the most popular speculation being the cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis). However, Trapman Bermagui believes it is a smallfin gulper shark (Centrophorus moluccensis), a species belonging to the gulper shark group found in deep-sea regions worldwide, according to the Shark Research Institute.

Some experts also agree with Trapman Bermagui’s assessment. “It is a gulper shark,” said Brit Finucci, a scientist specializing in deep-sea shark research at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand. However, she is uncertain about the exact species within the gulper shark group.

“In the past, gulper sharks were targeted for liver oil extraction in New South Wales,” Finucci said. She further explained that due to excessive fishing pressure, some gulper shark species are severely threatened and protected by Australia. Charlie Huveneers, a shark scientist at Flinders University, also believes that the captured specimen belongs to this group.

However, some shark experts hold a different opinion. Dean Grubbs, a marine biologist and shark expert at Florida State University, suggests that the shark caught by Trapman Bermagui is the roughskin dogfish (Centroscymnus owstonii), a species closely related to the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus).

“In my opinion, it resembles the kitefin shark (Dalatias licha), which inhabits offshore waters around Australia. However, it is challenging to be certain without examining the entire specimen,” said Christopher Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach.

Lowe also raises the possibility that the shark may belong to an unidentified species. “We frequently discover new deep-sea shark species, and many species can closely resemble one another,” he explained.

The capture of a mysterious shark off the coast of Australia has ignited a debate regarding its species identification. While opinions differ among experts, it highlights the need for further research and conservation efforts to protect deep-sea shark populations, which face numerous threats. As new discoveries continue to unfold, the scientific community remains intrigued by the mysteries of the ocean depths.

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