Latest news with #ParisminaDomusDei
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Bright orange shark spotted for the ‘first time ever' after being reeled in by fisherman in catch of a lifetime
RARE SHARK Bright orange shark spotted for the 'first time ever' after being reeled in by fisherman in catch of a lifetime A GIANT first-of-its-kind shark has been reeled in off the coast of Costa Rica. The exceedingly rare shark, measuring in at over six feet long, exhibited a rare pigmentation condition causing it to appear orange. 4 The shark was reeled in off the coast of Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook 4 It showed signs of xanthism and albinism Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook Advertisement The shark was thought to have xanthism, a rare pigmentation condition, affecting the fur, scales or skin of animals. It creates yellow or golden colours in the animal but has never been observed in cartilaginous fish, a group that includes sharks, rays, and skates, in the Caribbean before. The rare catch appeared to also show traits of albinism, with the shark boasting a pair of striking white eyes. The nurse shark usually has brown skin which helps them blend into the seabed. Advertisement Read more in Science SPACE ODDITY Why scientists believe an ALIEN spacecraft could be hurtling towards Earth Based on the size of the shark researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande concluded the unusual colour did not affect the shark's survival. Animals with albinism or xanthism are much more visible which scientists believe lowers their survival rate in the wild. The bright colouring caused by the pigmentation conditions makes affected animals easy targets for predators. Both conditions can also increase sensitivity to sunlight and make it difficult for animals to find mates. Advertisement This makes the discovery of a shark that survived to adulthood with both conditions all the more significant. It is unclear whether the unusual colouring offered any advantages to the shark or if it simply managed to thrive despite being more visible. Rare giant 'spaceship-like' sea creature that grows up to 2.5 metres spotted off Scots coast The striking fish was reeled in by some pals on a sport fishing trip in the Caribbean. Its discovery prompted questions for marine biologists about genetic diversity in Caribbean nurse shark populations. Scientists are now asking whether this is a one-time occurrence, or if it could signal a new genetic trend in the local population. Advertisement Xanthism is considered extremely rare across the animal kingdom. 4 Scientists questioned how the shark had survived to adulthood Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook 4 The exceedingly rare discovery left boffins baffled Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook It has been recorded in only a few species of fish, reptiles, and birds, but there have only been a handful of confirmed cases. In freshwater fish such as guppies, cichlids, and even goldfish, the condition sometimes produces striking yellow morphs. Advertisement Certain birds, like parrots and canaries, have also displayed golden plumage linked to xanthism. Occasional reports in reptiles describe unusually yellow snakes or lizards.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Bright orange shark spotted for the ‘first time ever' after being reeled in by fisherman in catch of a lifetime
RARE SHARK Bright orange shark spotted for the 'first time ever' after being reeled in by fisherman in catch of a lifetime Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GIANT first-of-its-kind shark has been reeled in off the coast of Costa Rica. The exceedingly rare shark, measuring in at over six feet long, exhibited a rare pigmentation condition causing it to appear orange. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The shark was reeled in off the coast of Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook 4 It showed signs of xanthism and albinism Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook The shark was thought to have xanthism, a rare pigmentation condition, affecting the fur, scales or skin of animals. It creates yellow or golden colours in the animal but has never been observed in cartilaginous fish, a group that includes sharks, rays, and skates, in the Caribbean before. The rare catch appeared to also show traits of albinism, with the shark boasting a pair of striking white eyes. The nurse shark usually has brown skin which helps them blend into the seabed. Read more in Science SPACE ODDITY Why scientists believe an ALIEN spacecraft could be hurtling towards Earth Based on the size of the shark researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande concluded the unusual colour did not affect the shark's survival. Animals with albinism or xanthism are much more visible which scientists believe lowers their survival rate in the wild. The bright colouring caused by the pigmentation conditions makes affected animals easy targets for predators. Both conditions can also increase sensitivity to sunlight and make it difficult for animals to find mates. This makes the discovery of a shark that survived to adulthood with both conditions all the more significant. It is unclear whether the unusual colouring offered any advantages to the shark or if it simply managed to thrive despite being more visible. Rare giant 'spaceship-like' sea creature that grows up to 2.5 metres spotted off Scots coast The striking fish was reeled in by some pals on a sport fishing trip in the Caribbean. Its discovery prompted questions for marine biologists about genetic diversity in Caribbean nurse shark populations. Scientists are now asking whether this is a one-time occurrence, or if it could signal a new genetic trend in the local population. Xanthism is considered extremely rare across the animal kingdom. 4 Scientists questioned how the shark had survived to adulthood Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook 4 The exceedingly rare discovery left boffins baffled Credit: ParisminaDomusDei / Facebook It has been recorded in only a few species of fish, reptiles, and birds, but there have only been a handful of confirmed cases. In freshwater fish such as guppies, cichlids, and even goldfish, the condition sometimes produces striking yellow morphs. Certain birds, like parrots and canaries, have also displayed golden plumage linked to xanthism. Occasional reports in reptiles describe unusually yellow snakes or lizards.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Vivid orange shark caught by anglers in Costa Rica in first-of-its-kind sighting
Anglers on a sport fishing trip off Costa Rica reeled in their lines and were stunned when a bright orange shark surfaced near the boat. The 6-foot-long predator turned out to be a first-of-its-kind catch. Garvin Watson and Juan Pablo Solano set out on a sport fishing trip with the Parismina Domus Dei tour company in August 2024 to fish near Tortuguero National Park, according to a study published Aug. 1 in the peer-reviewed journal Marine Biodiversity. During the trip, the anglers caught and released a 6-foot-long nurse shark with 'intense yellow-orange' coloring, the study said. Photos shared on Facebook by Parismina Domus Dei show the odd-colored shark, which clearly stands out against the blue-green water. Normally, nurse sharks are uniformly gray. Seen up close, the shark had 'white eyes, with no visible iris' instead of 'the typically black iris,' the study said. Researchers later reviewed the photos, spoke with the fishermen and identified the animal as an adult nurse shark with a 'rare' condition known as albino-xanthochromism and a first-of-its-kind record. Xanthism and albinism are two types of 'abnormal pigmentation' caused by genetic mutation and rarely seen in wild sharks, the study said. Albinism reduces the amount of melanin or pigmentation in an animal's skin and eyes, while xanthism results in 'partial or predominantly yellow pigmentation.' The orange nurse shark was 'the first scientifically documented case of total xanthism in the species and the first record from the Caribbean Sea,' researchers said. Based on the size of the shark, researchers concluded that 'this unusual pigmentation did not affect its survival.' Still, 'the discovery of a xanthic G. cirratum (nurse shark) — a rare occurrence among elasmobranchs — raises important questions about the genetic variability and adaptability of nurse sharks,' the study said. 'Is this an isolated case? Could it represent an emerging genetic trend within the regional population?' Researchers suggested 'further investigation into how local environmental conditions influence the expression of such genetic traits.' The research team included Marioxis Macías-Cuyare, Gilberto Rafael Borges Guzmán and Daniel Arauz-Naranjo.
