ound at depths of up to 1,900ft
March 2012: Scientists conducting deep-sea research in the Galapagos have described a new species of catshark, Bythaelurus giddingsi.
The new shark is approximately a foot long and has a chocolate-brown coloration with pale, irregularly distributed spots on its body. The spotted patterns appear to be unique to each individual. John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences collected the first specimens of this new catshark while diving to depths of 1,400-1,900 ft aboard the Johnson Sea-Link submersible.
‘The discovery of a new shark species is always interesting, particularly at this time when sharks are facing such incredible human pressure,' said McCosker, chair of Aquatic Biology at the Academy.
Named after award-winning filmmaker‘Many species have become locally rare and others verge on extinction due to their capture for shark-fin soup. The damage to food webs is dramatic, since sharks provide valuable ecological services as top-level predators, when they disappear their niche is often filled by other species that further imbalance ecosystems. Most deepwater shark species are not very susceptible to overfishing; however, since this catshark's range is restricted to the Galapagos, its population is likely limited in size, making it more susceptible than more widely distributed species.'
The California Academy of Sciences sent its first scientific expedition to the Galapagos Islands in 1905 and has since organized dozens of return trips. As a result, the Academy is now home to the world's most comprehensive collection of scientific specimens from these famous islands.
Most Academy field work in the Galapagos today focuses on the marine environment, where dozens of new species have been discovered in recent decades. McCosker's marine research in the Galapagos was the subject of a 1996 Discovery Channel documentary called Galapagos: Beyond Darwin. The new shark is named in honour of award-winning filmmaker Al Giddings, who filmed and produced the Discovery Channel project and many more natural history films.
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