Costa Rican scientists announced on July 4 they may have discovered a new species of ghost shark in Pacific waters near Cabo Blanco and Cano Island [1, 2, 3]. The researchers noted the new ghost shark has a shorter snout, darker coloration pattern, and a much longer spine on its dorsal fin compared to known species [4]. Arturo Angulo Sibaja described it as the only ghost shark species known from the Central American coast [4].
Genetic analysis confirmed the new species has no reproductive contact with other ghost sharks, highlighting its distinctiveness [4]. Specimens collected near Peru and Chile showed strong similarities with the Costa Rican species, but scientists are still comparing them before drawing final conclusions [4].
Currently, three other ghost shark species are recognized in waters off South Africa, Taiwan, Australia, Japan, and the Atlantic from Greenland to Brazil [4]. Ghost sharks belong to the cartilaginous fish group called Rinochimaera, which are related to sharks but genetically diverged nearly 400 million years ago [1, 2, 3].
Arturo Angulo Sibaja said the new ghost shark is most likely distributed broadly along the Pacific coasts of Central and South America [3]. The scientists aim to complete genetic and morphological comparisons of specimens from South America in coming months to finalize the species identification [4, 1].
