Marine biologists working close to New Zealand’s South Island have stumbled upon a newly hatched child ghost shark—an elusive and peculiar fish that lives at the hours of darkness deep ocean.

The hatchling, or neonate, was collected by a group of marine biologists from New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. The little critter was discovered at a depth of three,940 toes (1,200 meters) on the Chatham Rise off the South Island east coast, in response to a NIWA release. This discovery ought to inform us extra about ghost sharks and the way they mature into adults.

The scientists have been truly collaborating in a trawl survey to estimate the quantity of hoki (a fish also referred to as blue grenadier) within the space after they unintentionally found the ghost shark, extra formally referred to as chimaera.

“You can tell this ghost shark recently hatched because it has a full belly of egg yolk,” Brit Finucci, a NIWA scientist who took half within the expedition, stated within the launch. “It’s quite astonishing. Most deep-water ghost sharks are known adult specimens; neonates are infrequently reported so we know very little about them.”

Ghost sharks are distant family members of sharks and rays and usually are not technically sharks. These so-called dwelling fossils are cartilaginous, which means their our bodies are made stiff from plates and bits of bone-like cartilage reasonably than bones. They dwell in deep waters and are hardly ever noticed; the primary video of a ghost shark in its pure habitat wasn’t captured till 2016. An estimated 38 species of ghost shark are believed to exist all over the world, however the quantity may very well be increased.

Chimaera moms lay their eggs on the seafloor, the place the embryos feed off the yolk till they’re able to hatch, in response to NIWA.

The scientists will now carry out a genetic evaluation to find out the species and run varied bodily exams. Studies of different chimaeras have proven that the dietary habits of juveniles and adults can differ, and that juveniles can look strikingly totally different in comparison with adults, together with distinctive shade patterns.

“Finding this ghost shark will help us better understand the biology and ecology of this mysterious group of deep-water fish,” stated Finucci.

More: Ghostly Deep Sea Fish Surprises Scientists Again—It Can Live for 100 Years.