Nature & Environment

Glow-in-the-dark 'ninja lanternshark' found

By T.K. Randall
December 26, 2015

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) Measuring up to 18 inches in length and found only in the dark depths of the sea, this unique creature is well adapted to eke out an existence in the gloom at the bottom of the Pacific.

Discovered by scientists from the Pacific Shark Research Center in California, the shark was originally named Etmopterus benchleyi after 'Jaws' author Peter Benchley.It wasn't until the young cousins of researcher Vicky Vásquez got involved in the naming process however that it ultimately ended up with the rather unusual moniker of 'ninja lanternshark'.

The name is based on the shark's ability to stay camouflaged and to sneak up on its prey using a combination of its dark-colored skin and its ability to emit a faint glow through bioluminescence.

Source: Independent

Tags: Shark