Gord Webster. Two sawsharks.
An unexpected surprise blessed a research team investigating off the coasts of Madagascar and Zanzibar. The team from Newcastle University discovered two brand new species of sawshark! The newly discovered species, Kaja’s and Anna’s six-gill sawsharks, represent the first species of sawshark ever discovered in the West Indian Ocean.
An interesting fact about these newly discovered species is that unlike most sawshark, these sharks have 6-gill slits rather than 5. Sawsharks are famous for their saw-like snout and can reach up to 5 feet long. They are found in every major ocean with the center of known distribution in the Western Pacific Ocean. Sawsharks are carnivorous and use their serrated snout to hunt fish, crustaceans, and squid.
This discovery highlights the importance of working with local fishermen. Originally, small-scale fisheries were the focal point of the research teams’ study.
Dr. Berggren, leader of Newcastle’s Marine MEGAfauna lab, highlights “Without the fisher’s help we would not have discovered these animals, their knowledge of their environment is unparalleled and it is our mission to help them preserve the marine animals and ecosystems they rely on to survive.”
This discovery also highlights how little we still know about the ocean. It also reinforces how important the Indian Ocean is for shark and ray biodiversity. Hopefully, other scientists can learn from Newcastle’s research team and work with local fishermen to discover new species of shark.
Newcastle University. (2020, March 18). Brand new shark(s), doo doo, doo doo doo doo. Retrieved from https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2020/03/newsharks/