Scientists working for Paul Allen are at it again, making a surprise finding deep beneath the surface of the ocean.
Researchers on the Microsoft co-founder’s vessel (R/V) Petrel, examining the wreckage of a World War II ship off the Philippines earlier this month, spotted a large shark swimming in the darkness at 259 meters down.
Cameras onboard a remote submersible vehicle were able to track and zoom in on the shark, and it was identified as a bluntnose sixgill (Hexanchus griseus), one of the largest sharks in the world, but a species that has never been documented alive in the country’s waters until this expedition.
“Count the gills, count the gills,” a voice says over the video as the shark turns to face the camera. “The elusive sixgill.”
According to a blog post on Allen’s website, little is known about the species of shark because they live so close to the ocean floor they are rarely seen by scientists. But they serve an important ecological role in many deep-sea and shelf slope habitats, the site says.
Allen has taken a keen interest in sharks, launching the Global FinPrint in 2015 to help track the diminishing number of sharks, rays and other types of marine life. The effort aims to aid in management and conservation efforts for life on coral reefs.
The Petrel was used to locate the wreckage of the USS Indianapolis in August. The long lost U.S. Navy cruiser was found 5,500 meters below the surface of the Philippine Sea. It was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on July 30, 1945.
“We still know so little about deep sea ecosystems around the world, and sightings like this one provide exciting glimpses of these important species and habitats,” said Dr. Mike Heithaus, co-lead principal investigator for Global FinPrint and Florida International University marine scientist.
Sixgill sharks have another connection back to Seattle. The species has been spotted in the waters of Puget Sound and were the subject of research conducted by the Seattle Aquarium, KCTS has reported.