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New Shark Species Discovered. And It Walks, Too.

Posted Sep 20, 2006 at 01:47AM by Alaric S. Listed in: Animals and Wildlife Tags: Indonesia, CI, epaulette shark
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walking shark


The research team from Conservation International (CI) claim to have found 24 new species of fish, 20 species of coral, and 8 species of shrimp from Indonesia's side of Papua.

One of the strangest on their collection is a type of epaulette shark that actually walks along the ocean floor on its fins. The four feet (1.2 meters) long creatures "walk" along the seafloor using their muscular pectoral fins.

Researchers say this ability to walk helps the sharks hunt for food, which include crabs and snails as well as small fishes. It also helps them maneuver in and out of tight spaces between coral reefs.

Other theories say the walking shark could be closely related to the first forms of marine life, which left the primitive seas in favor of land.

CI called the discovery of the walking shark "amazing" and "quite spectacular". Not to mention very Dr.Seuss.

There are about 375 known species of sharks in the world ranging from the pygmy shark (Euprotomicrus bispinatus), which is less than a foot long all the way to the 41 ft (12 m) whale shark (Rhincodon typus) - the biggest fish in the ocean. Although feared as man-eaters, 100 million sharks are killed for food each year.

[Via Tha Australian] Permalink  |   Email this  |   Linking Blogs   |   Digg It!

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