‘Large’-eyed sea creature — with ‘pointy’ teeth — found lurking. It’s a new species
A “large”-eyed sea creature swam along the ocean floor off the coast of West Africa. As the unfamiliar shape of a submersible approached, the “fast” animal darted into a hiding spot.
On the surface, scientists watched the “pinkish” animal. It turned out to be a new species.
Researchers spent several months in 2010 surveying deep-sea coral mounds off the coast of Mauritania, according to a study published Aug. 16 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Fish Biology. The surveys used a remotely operated vehicle to capture and record marine life.
During the dives, researchers saw several elusive pink fish and managed to capture one, the study said. Taking a closer look at the animal and video footage, they soon realized they’d discovered a new species: Gaidropsarus mauritanicus, or the Mauritian three-bearded rockling.
Mauritian three-bearded rocklings can reach just under 3 inches in length, the study said. Their “elongated” bodies have a “large” head with “large” eyes and “pointy” teeth.
Photos show the “pinkish” coloring of the new species. Its sides have some lighter silvery-white spots and some darker brown blotches.
Mauritian three-bearded rocklings were found around “deep-water coral ecosystems” at depths of about 1,300 to 2,000 feet, the study said. These fish were often seen “resting on the bottom” next to or inside protective coral structures.
When spooked, Mauritian three-bearded rocklings quickly swam to a “protective structure,” researchers said. This “‘guarded’ behavior” made the new species hard to catch and likely helped it go unnoticed by previous surveys.
Researchers said they named the new species after the country where it was discovered, Mauritania. Mauritania sits along the northwest coast of Africa and borders Algeria, the Atlantic Ocean, Mali, Senegal and Western Sahara.
So far, Mauritian three-bearded rocklings have been found at seven sites along the country’s coast but likely have a wider distribution, researchers said.
The new species was identified by its eye size, head shape, fin shape, coloring, skeleton, habitat and DNA, the study said.
The research team included Alexander Knorrn, Lydia Beuck, David Barros-García, Lourdes Fernández-Peralta and André Freiwald.
This story was originally published August 27, 2024 at 9:53 AM with the headline "‘Large’-eyed sea creature — with ‘pointy’ teeth — found lurking. It’s a new species."
