Say hello to Squalus hawaiiensis, also known as the Hawaiian spurdog.
This new species of deep-water dogfish shark was discovered by a team led by Florida Tech marine biologist Toby Daly-Engel. The findings were published in this month’s ZooKeys.
The research team, which also included scientist Amber Koch, University of Hawaii marine biologist James M. Anderson, State University of New York Cobleskill assistant professor Chip Cotton and Florida State University Coastal and Marine Lab Associate Director of Research Dean Grubbs, found that the Hawaiian spurdog was genetically different enough from its nearest relative, the Japanese S. mitsukurii, also known as the shortspine spurdog, to warrant its own classification. The Hawaiian spurdog also possesses a different sized dorsal fin and interdorsal length.
“The whole reason we study biodiversity is because we know the more diverse the environment, the more diverse genetically an animal is, the healthier the population or species is,” Daly-Engel said.
Using techniques similar to discovery of another new species, known as Genie’s Dogfish in honor of shark biologist Eugenie Clark, the team analyzed the physical characteristics and DNA makeup of the Hawaiian species. Recent genetic research, combined with conventional tools, allow marine biologists to discover new species and re-describe old ones with more accurate data to help with conservation efforts.
“There aren’t that many sharks in Hawaii, and now that we know there’s one that is there and potentially nowhere else in the world, we can take steps to protect it if it becomes vulnerable to overfishing,” Daly-Engel added.