FIU Scientist Leads Team That Discovered Possible New Shark

MIAMI — An FIU marine scientist is leading a team of scientists that has discovered what they believe is a new species of hammerhead shark.

When the team of scientist recently sequenced the DNA of what they believed to be bonnethead sharks in Belize, they were "shocked" to find that they are likely an entirely different species based on large genetic differences between them and other bonnetheads in the region, according to a spokesperson for Florida International University on Thursday.

“We do not know which species this is and our finding of a new species in Belize highlights that there could be more undescribed ones out there, each one facing a unique set of threats.” said FIU marine scientist Demian Chapman, who is the lead researcher of the team. “For example, there are published reports that bonnetheads have nearly been wiped out by unregulated fishing in Brazil.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature designates bonnetheads as “Least Concern” for extinction risk, in part because they have been thought to be a single species spread across a large area.

"The discovery that there might actually be two species with smaller distributional ranges and overall numbers means scientists must reassess each of their extinction vulnerabilities," the spokesperson said.

Photo courtesy Florida International University