Goblin shark seen alive in natural habitat for the first time: "The most iconic of all the deep-sea sharks"
CBS News • • science
Key Points:
- Marine biologist Alan Jamieson and colleagues captured the first-ever underwater footage of the elusive goblin shark in its natural deep-sea habitat, using remote baited cameras in the Pacific Ocean's Tonga Trench.
- The study, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, highlights two significant sightings: one in 2019 near Jarvis Island and Palmyra Atoll, and another in 2024 at the Tonga Trench, extending the known depth range of goblin sharks by 108 meters.
- These discoveries expanded the known geographic range and depth habitat of the goblin shark, a rare "living fossil" species with a lineage dating back 125 million years.
- Researchers emphasize the importance of continued deep-sea exploration, as these findings contribute to biodiversity knowledge and can inform regional marine management efforts.