According to Sci-News, the new species, named Galeus Friedrichi, is related to two species previously found in the Philippines, Galeus sauteri and Galeus schultzi.
The genus Galeus to which they belong is a member of the family Pentanchidae, of the order White-eyed sharks, the most diverse lineage of the Order Sharks. Galeus itself is also one of the richest shark genera with nearly 20 species recognized by science.
A monstrous portrait of a shark has just been discovered in the Philippines – Photo: Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
Members of the genus are found in the Atlantic, western and central Pacific Oceans, as well as the Gulf of California.
They are also known as saw-tailed cat sharks, in reference to the distinctive serrated structure found along the upper edge of the caudal fin.
Sharks of this genus are usually harmless, rather small and slender with a toned body, thick, rough skin, many patterned species, in particular this species, whose skin looks like the fur of other sharks. spotted cat or calico cat – but the spots have only one color.
The new species’ body is longer than its cousins - Photo: Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
The new species is similar in appearance to most other members of the genus, with a rather long, pointed head and wide mouth, which specializes in hunting small invertebrates. Their most notable difference is the absence of color spots.
The new species has been studied and analyzed by a team of scientists led by two scholars David Ebert and Jessica Jang from the Pacific Shark Research Center (based in the US).
This genus has a wide range, occurring mainly on continental shelves and along the slopes of islands at depths of about 100 to 2,000 m.
Galeus Friedrichi, also known as the Philippine sawtail shark, was once known through some typical specimens caught off the coast of Sikayab-Bukana – Philippines at a depth of 550 m, but until now, the scientific world has only confirmed it. This monstrous creature is a whole new species.
Its size is quite large compared to relatives with a length of more than 50 cm; more vertebrae.
The team revealed they are also analyzing a total of nine species of cat shark, of which three – including newly identified species – have only been scientifically named in the past 15 years.
“This shows how much remains to be discovered in this environment, especially as global fisheries expand into the deep sea,” the authors wrote in a paper published in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.
