Glow-in-the-dark sharks found off New Zealand coast
What s cooler than a great big shark? A great big, glow-in-the-dark shark.
New Zealand and Belgian researchers have hit the jackpot, discovering three new bioluminescent species off the east coast of New Zealand.
Their discoveries included the largest known luminescent vertebrate, the kitefin shark (Dalatias licha), which can grow to 180 centimetres.
Daylight view (top) and luminescent pattern of the kitefin shark found off the New Zealand coast.(Mallefet, Stevens and Duchatelet)
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Three species of deep water sharks â
Dalatias licha,
Etmopterus lucifer, and
Etmopterus granulosus â were collected from the Chatham Rise off the east coast of the South Island, as bycatch from a hoki trawl survey by Niwa vessel the Tangaroa in January last year.