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Recently discovered shark species squirts glowing clouds from pockets

by | Jul 29, 2019 | Fish

A pocket-sized pocket shark found in the Gulf of Mexico has turned out to be a new species. And the mysterious pouches that it’s named for, up near its front fins? Scientists say they squirt little glowing clouds into the ocean. Researchers from around the Gulf and in New York have named the species the American pocket shark, or Mollisquama (mah-lihs-KWAH-muh) mississippiensis (MISS-ih-sip-ee-EHN-sis). It’s only the third out of more than 500 known shark species that may squirt luminous liquid, said R. Dean Grubbs, a Florida State University scientist who was not involved in the research. He said the other two are the previously known pocket shark and the taillight shark , which has a similar gland near its tail

Fossilized remains of 430 million-year-old ‘sea monster’ found

by | Apr 14, 2019 | Science

Life reconstruction of Sollasina cthulhu. (Credit: Elissa Martin, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History) The fossilized remains of a 430 million-year-old sea creature that had tentacles longer than its body have been found in Herefordshire, Britain. Given the name Sollasina cthulhu, due to its resemblance to the fictional Cthulhu sea beast thought of by American author H.P. Lovecraft, the creature was significantly smaller than the fictional monster, but perhaps just as scary to other sea creatures alive at the time. “Although the fossil is just 3 [centimers]wide, its many long tentacles would have made it appear quite monstrous to other small sea creatures alive at the time,” a press release describing the find reads. “It is thought that these tentacles, or ‘tube feet’, were used

Where in the world is ‘Mary Lee’? No pings from long-tagged shark

by | Jan 10, 2018 | Science

Photo courtesy: Osearch.org Mary Lee, arguably the most famous shark in America, has gone silent. After being tagged with a transmitter by research organization Ocearch off the coast of Cape Cod in 2012, Mary Lee gained a legion of loyal followers tracking her ocean journeys. She has nearly 130,000 Twitter followers. However, no ping has been registered since June, reports the Post and Courier of Charleston. The good news: It doesn’t necessarily mean the end of Mary Lee. Ocearch tells Jacksonville.com that it’s more likely the batteries in her transmitter, designed to last about five years, have finally given out. See related article: Probable Great White Shark Nursery Discovered off Long Island. Click here to read more at Fox News.