Shark that walks on fins found in Papua New Guinea

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Times Online September 18, 2006 An epaulette shark (Hemiscyillum freycineti), one of the new species scientists say they have found (Gerry Allen/AP) Shark that walks on fins found in Papua New GuineaBy Devika Bhat and agencies Video footage of 'walking shark' Scientists carrying out research in Papua New Guinea say they have discovered dozens of new species underwater, including a shark that walks on its fins and a shrimp that looks like a praying mantis. The research team from Conservation International, which is based in the US, claim to have found 52 new species, including 24 new species of fish, 20 species of coral and eight species of shrimp. Experts say that the discovery has confirmed Bird’s Head Seascape, which stretches for 180,000 sq km (70,000 sq miles) on the north western end of the province, as arguably the world's richest diversity of marine life. “It’s one of the most stunningly beautiful landscapes and seascapes on the planet,” said Mark Erdmann, a senior adviser of Conservation International who led two surveys to the area earlier this year. “Above and below water, it’s simply mind-blowing.” Among the highlights of the discoveries were two types of epaulette shark, a small, spotty creature. Growing up to 1.2m (4ft) long, they are able to "walk" along the seafloor using their muscular pectoral fins. Sebastian Troeng, director of Regional Marine Strategies at Conservation International, said that epaulette sharks' ability to walk enabled them to keep close to the seabed where they hunted for food, and to weave in and out of tight spaces between coral reefs. "They are bottom-dwellers which feed on crustaceans such as crabs and snails as well as small fish, and being able to walk may give them an advantage in catching them," he said. "Also, they are quite small sharks and not exactly at the top of the food chain, so being able to remain at the bottom by walking helps them to keep out of the way of predators themselves. There are also theories suggesting

that these types of shark, with their ability to "walk", are related to the first forms of marine life which made their way on to land. "It's pretty amazing finding two new species of shark like this. A lot of surveys are done in which new species are discovered but to find a new shark is very rare, and to come across two is quite spectacular," he added. Carden Wallace, a coral expert and principal scientist at the Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville, Australia, said that she was not surprised by the findings because the location was very remote and had not been scoured by scientists very much. She said that the discovery should provide crucial information in understanding the ecosystem. “This will give us a better understanding of where all this diversity originates from and how vulnerable it may be,” she said. Research on two of the new

fish species - named flasher wrasse because of the bright colours displayed by males during mating – have already been accepted for publication in a science journal, while Conservation International is in the process of writing papers on the other species. Dubbed Asia’s “Coral Triangle,” the region is home to more than 1,200 species of fish and almost 600 species of reef-building coral – amounting to 75 per cent of the world’s known total. But the area’s biodiversity faces threats – not only from subsistence fishermen who use dynamite and cyanide to net their catches, but also from a government scheme to introduce commercial fishing along the coast. The proposal has prompted Conservation

International to call for the government to set up a series of marine parks around the area to protect local species. “These Papuan reefs are literally species factories that require special attention to protect them from unsustainable fisheries and other threats so they can continue to benefit their local owners and the global community,” said Mr Erdmann, adding that only 11 per cent of the area was presently protected. The locations of the latest research are just a few hundred kilometres from another Conservation International site in the barely touched Foja Mountains, where researchers discovered a "lost world" of species including birds, frogs and butterflies.Peter H

 

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It's a good picture.

 

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, peter VV <swpgh01 wrote:

>

>

> Times Online September 18, 2006

>

>

> An epaulette shark (Hemiscyillum freycineti), one of the new

species scientists say they have found (Gerry Allen/AP)

> Shark that walks on fins found in Papua New GuineaBy Devika Bhat

and agencies

> Video footage of 'walking shark'

> Scientists carrying out research in Papua New Guinea say they

have discovered dozens of new species underwater, including a shark

that walks on its fins and a shrimp that looks like a praying

mantis.

> NI_MPU('middle'); The research team from

Conservation International, which is based in the US, claim to have

found 52 new species, including 24 new species of fish, 20 species of

coral and eight species of shrimp.

> Experts say that the discovery has confirmed Bird's Head

Seascape, which stretches for 180,000 sq km (70,000 sq miles) on the

north western end of the province, as arguably the world's richest

diversity of marine life.

> " It's one of the most stunningly beautiful landscapes and

seascapes on the planet, " said Mark Erdmann, a senior adviser of

Conservation International who led two surveys to the area earlier

this year.

> " Above and below water, it's simply mind-blowing. "

> Among the highlights of the discoveries were two types of

epaulette shark, a small, spotty creature.

> Growing up to 1.2m (4ft) long, they are able to " walk " along the

seafloor using their muscular pectoral fins.

> Sebastian Troeng, director of Regional Marine Strategies at

Conservation International, said that epaulette sharks' ability to

walk enabled them to keep close to the seabed where they hunted for

food, and to weave in and out of tight spaces between coral reefs.

> " They are bottom-dwellers which feed on crustaceans such as crabs

and snails as well as small fish, and being able to walk may give

them an advantage in catching them, " he said.

> " Also, they are quite small sharks and not exactly at the top of

the food chain, so being able to remain at the bottom by walking

helps them to keep out of the way of predators themselves.

> There are also theories suggesting that these types of shark,

with their ability to " walk " , are related to the first forms of

marine life which made their way on to land.

> " It's pretty amazing finding two new species of shark like this.

A lot of surveys are done in which new species are discovered but to

find a new shark is very rare, and to come across two is quite

spectacular, " he added.

> Carden Wallace, a coral expert and principal scientist at the

Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville, Australia, said that she

was not surprised by the findings because the location was very

remote and had not been scoured by scientists very much.

> She said that the discovery should provide crucial information in

understanding the ecosystem.

>

> " This will give us a better understanding of where all this

diversity originates from and how vulnerable it may be, " she said.

> Research on two of the new fish species - named flasher wrasse

because of the bright colours displayed by males during mating – have

already been accepted for publication in a science journal, while

Conservation International is in the process of writing papers on the

other species.

> NI_MPU('middle'); Dubbed Asia's " Coral Triangle, "

the region is home to more than 1,200 species of fish and almost 600

species of reef-building coral – amounting to 75 per cent of the

world's known total.

> But the area's biodiversity faces threats – not only from

subsistence fishermen who use dynamite and cyanide to net their

catches, but also from a government scheme to introduce commercial

fishing along the coast.

> The proposal has prompted Conservation International to call for

the government to set up a series of marine parks around the area to

protect local species.

> " These Papuan reefs are literally species factories that require

special attention to protect them from unsustainable fisheries and

other threats so they can continue to benefit their local owners and

the global community, " said Mr Erdmann, adding that only 11 per cent

of the area was presently protected.

> The locations of the latest research are just a few hundred

kilometres from another Conservation International site in the barely

touched Foja Mountains, where researchers discovered a " lost world "

of species including birds, frogs and butterflies.

>

>

>

> Peter H

>

>

>

>

> To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all

new Security Centre.

>