The rare -sleeping Pacific sleeping shark in the southern hemisphere

In a historical expedition exploring the biodiversity of Tonga’s trenches, researchers from the University of Western Australia have captured the rare images of a Pacific sleep shark (Somniosus pacificus). This extraordinary glance occurred at a depth of 4,593 feet (1,400 meters) on the east side of the Llogora, where water temperatures hover about a 36.5 degree Fahrenheit (2.5 degrees Celsius). The discovery gives scientists a brief presentation of how this slow -moving giant can use this mysterious habitat here, as this species is rarely studied, especially in the southern hemisphere.

Pacific sleep sharks, which can reach up to seven meters long, is believed to probably the largest predatory fish in the ocean. Mostly found in the North Pacific, they were occasionally observed in the southern hemisphere, suggesting a wider distribution than previously thought. As opportunistic and cleaner predators, Pacific sleep sharks are fed with a wide range of prey, from lower slow to the corpses, and even fast -speed fish. “However, we still know a little about her most basic biology,” said Beth Matta, a research fishing biologist at the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Fisheries Center. While its accurate age range remains unknown, the continuous research from the center aims to evaluate its longevity using radiocarbon meeting techniques. Dr. Jessica Kolbusz, a research with the Mindero-Uwa Sea Sea Research Center, suggested that the level of growing Sleeper Shark may be similar to that of the Greenland Shark (Greenland Shark (Microcefalus somniosus), another species of deep sea known to have lived for centuries. This extraordinary lifespan, paired with their slow growth and unique nutrition habits, positions sleep sharks like leading players in deep sea ecosystems.

But, despite their size and ecological role – and their frequent overcoming in the northern hemisphere fishing – they remain poorly studied because of their deep sea habitat. In fact, many of what we know about this species are borrowed from the Greenland shark. According to NOAA, “both species are so closely related that they can be intertwined and are difficult to make differences. However, the Greenland shark is studied much better because there is a long history to fish for its liver oil and meat. “

Thus, any chance of observing this outdoor shark is an opportunity to add what we know about the Pacific sleep sharks.

The expedition itself was part of a broader attempt to explore how the biodiversity and abundance of species move through depths ranging from 3,280 to 32,808 ft (1,000 to 10,000 m) in the tonga trench. One of the deepest ocean trenches in the world, it plays a vital role in the global ocean circulation. Formed at the convergent border where the Pacific plaque is subjected to the Indo-Australian plaque, is a geologically active region known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. Its extreme depth and pressure create a unique and largely unexplained habitat, with organisms adapted to harsh high pressure conditions, low temperatures and limited light. The gap also plays a critical role in the global circulation of the ocean, as the lower water of the Antarctic (a cold, dense stream of poles) flows through the region, transporting oxygen and nutrients to deep sea ecosystems. Understanding the biodiversity of trenches is essential not only for the study of deep sea ecosystems, but also for capturing its role in regulating the Earth’s climate system.

Kolbusz noted that the individual shark filmed during the expedition was estimated to be about 3.5 meters tall. Rare images captured during the expedition offer a narrow view of the shark that feeds on the bait. While the researchers were able to observe the tooth rows in this deep sea giant, the full range of dental adaptations remains a mystery due to limited studies. However, Kolbusz and the team hope that this new video adds the information we have in their nutrition behavior. And while the sleep shark was one of the highlights of the expedition, it was far from the only discovery. “In this expedition, at these depths, we have noticed some unique species including a ray of Richardson, cut eels, whipped squid and blue hack,” she noted in a press release.

As the research continues, scientists hope to discover more the mysteries of the sleep shark. From understanding his age and increasing it to the mapping of his habitat range, every new part of the information brings us to better protect the intricate network of life in the depths of our ocean. This research was a collaborative attempt that included the Mindero-Uwa Sea Sea Research Center, Inkfish and Kelpie Geoscience.