Glow-in-the-dark shark and transparent crab discovered off Australian coast

Australian researchers have discovered a miniature light-emitting shark and a transparent almond-sized crab during a deep-sea expedition off the country’s western coast, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) announced on Wednesday.

The expedition, conducted in late 2022 at Gascoyne Marine Park approximately 20 kilometres offshore, revealed several previously unknown species from depths exceeding 600 metres.

Among the most significant finds is the West Australian Lantern Shark, a new species reaching 40 centimetres in length that lives at depths greater than 600 metres.

“Lantern sharks are bioluminescent – they produce light through photophores located on their bellies and sides, which is how they got their name,” explained fisheries scientist Dr Will White from CSIRO.

Researchers also identified a new species of porcelain crab measuring approximately 1.5 centimetres, discovered 122 metres below the ocean’s surface.

“Porcelain crabs are filter feeders – they feed by filtering water and collecting microorganisms such as plankton,” said Dr Andrew Hosie, curator of marine zoology at the Western Australian Museum.

Unlike most crabs, the translucent crustacean doesn’t use its claws for feeding but instead employs specialised hairs around its mouth to filter plankton from seawater.

The expedition has so far identified approximately 20 new species, including the Carnarvon Flapjack Octopus, a reddish creature about 4 centimetres long.

Scientists estimate that approximately 600 additional collected specimens remain to be formally described and named, as the taxonomic process can take years to verify their uniqueness.

Australia is considered one of the planet’s most important biodiversity hotspots, home to more than one million different species, many found nowhere else on Earth. However, large portions of its marine territories remain unexplored.