Source: Conservation International

Scientists in Australia have identified a previously unknown species of walking shark during fieldwork in Papua New Guinea (PNG), marking a rare addition to this group of sharks, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

Researchers discovered the meter-long Dudgeon’s walking shark, named after University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) senior research fellow Christine Dudgeon, in shallow waters off Milne Bay in southeastern PNG, according to a UniSC statement released on Tuesday.

It is the first new species described within the genus since 2013, according to a study published in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation.

The research confirmed that this nocturnal shark is found only in a small area off southeastern PNG.

“The sharks, which eat invertebrates off the sea floor and are not dangerous to humans, are famous for using all four fins as limbs to amble across reef flats at low tide,” the statement said.

The species was first observed by researchers studying endangered epaulette sharks. Lead author Jess Blakeway, a UniSC PhD student, said its distinctive white dashes along its brown body set it apart from “the leopard-like spots” seen in related species. Genetic analysis later confirmed it as a new species.

The local name of the species, kadedekedewa, roughly translates to “dog shark” or “lazy shark,” referring to its slow, four-limbed movement.

The newly identified shark appears to have a highly restricted range, raising concerns over its vulnerability to habitat degradation, fishing pressure, and climate change. Researchers plan further surveys to support an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment.

The discovery increases the number of known walking shark species in the region to 10. Five of these are already listed as threatened with extinction by the IUCN, linked to their limited distribution—an issue that applies to just 3% of all shark species, Blakeway noted.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev