- Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of deep-water dogfish shark, Squalus hima, from Sakthikulangara fishing harbour in Kerala along the Arabian Sea.
- The discovery, made by the Marine Biology Regional Centre of ZSI, has been published in the journal Records of the ZSI.
- Genus: Squalus (commonly known as spurdogs)
- Family: Squalidae
- Squalus hima has been misidentified with S. mitsukurii and S. lalannei but is now recognized as a separate species.
- It belongs to the Squalus megalops group.
| Deep Ocean Mission ZSI is conducting deep-sea habitat explorations at depths of 1000-3000 meters under the Deep Ocean Mission of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The research team has explored sharks and rays up to a depth of 1000 meters along India’s coastline and aims to explore species diversity up to 2000 meters in the next phase. |
- These sharks are exploited for their liver oil, which contains high levels of squalene, in demand for pharmaceutical and high-end cosmetic products, and anti-cancerous products.
- Fishermen from the southern coast of India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands harvest these sharks for liver oil.
- The discovery of Squalus hima is crucial for the conservation of such species, which are commercially valuable for their fins, liver oil, and meat.
- They are also often caught as bycatch in fisheries targeting other species.
Dig Deeper: Technological innovations for the exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity are one of the major components of the Deep Ocean Mission. List the other Five components.
