Sharkophile

The latest shark news, photos and videos

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New shark species named in honor of late conservationist Rob Stewart

A new species of deep-water catshark has been named in honor of underwater filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart. The new species, Bythaelurus stewarti, was detailed in this month’s PLOS One by Simon Wiegman and associates. The discovery was based on 121 examined specimens caught on the Error Seamount in the northwestern Indian Ocean. The family Scyliorhinidae, comprising all catsharks of […]

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Rare footage of deepwater shark eggs in Puerto Rico

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s remote-operated deep sea research vessel captured images of a live shark embryo inside an egg case west of Puerto Rico’s Desecheo Island. The 22-day mission by by the NOAA’s ROV Deep Discoverer explored waters around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the deepest dives ever recorded in […]

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Study: Whale sharks can live up to 130 years

We know very little about the growth and reproductive biology of whale sharks, the world’s largest fish species. Because they’re listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, scientists are looking for ways to fill this gap in our knowledge without overly disturbing or distressing individual whale sharks. Scientists at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in […]

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Basking sharks have aerial breaching capabilities

Basking sharks may not be the lazy, lumbering ocean dwellers that they appear to be. A new study by researchers at Trinity College in Dublin and published in this month’s journal of Biology Letters, found that basking sharks have the same aerial capability as great white sharks when it comes to breaching out of the water. Basking […]

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Doctors use botox injection on sand tiger shark

A dermatologist may have devised a novel treatment for scoliosis occurring in sharks. Charles E. Crutchfield III, MD, along with the Minnesota Zoo’s veterinary staff, injected botox into a captive sand tiger shark that was suffering from scoliosis. Sharks in the wild, as well as in human care, can develop scoliosis. Some types of scoliosis are […]

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Study shows how evolution may shape sharks’ senses

A recent study explored how shark’s electrosensing organ reacts when it detects tiny electrical fields emanating from nearby prey. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the journal “Nature,” was conducted by David Julius, Ph.D., professor and chair of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, and post-docs Nicholas W. Bellono, […]

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Whale shark study reveals new insights on lifespan

A long-term study has revealed that whale sharks, the largest fish on the planet can live upwards of 130 years. Researchers from Nova Southeastern University’s Guy Harvey Research Institute and the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme published their findings on whale shark aging growth dynamics in the latest Marine and Freshwater Research Journal. The ten year study was […]

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Sharks can have bellybuttons – and other facts about their incredible diversity

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. By Georgia French, University of Sussex The first thing that pops into most people’s minds when they think of sharks is of big dumb fish with pointy teeth that are to be greatly feared. But as someone who spends their days studying these […]

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Warming oceans could bring more sharks to UK waters

A new report from England’s University of Southampton found that warming ocean temperatures could lead to more species of sharks being able to survive where they were unable to before. National Oceanography Centre Southampton senior research fellow Dr. Ken Collins stated that 10 species of sharks currently found in warmer parts of the world may be […]