Scientists Identify a Walking Shark Species in Papua New Guinea, and Fear It May Be at Risk

Researchers have identified a new shark species in the shallow waters of Milne Bay, in southeast Papua New Guinea. The animal does not behave like a typical shark. Instead of roaming open water, it moves slowly along the seafloor and uses its fins almost like legs, earning it the local nickname "the lazy shark." Its formal name is Hemiscyllium deyhdjoni, or the Dajdjon walking shark, and it is the 10th known species in the walking shark group.

Scientists from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia first spotted it during a night dive in Milne Bay. Only after genetic tests in Australia did they confirm it was not an unusual specimen of an already known species, but a species new to science. The first specimen was caught just after midnight by shark and ray researcher Dr. Christine Dudgeon, who has studied the group for more than 20 years. She found it in about one meter of water, and once she shone a flashlight on it, the shark froze, allowing her and colleague Jess Blakeway to use a capture method they call "flip and tuck." The species was named after Dudgeon.

Blakeway said the shark's brown body had white stripes and spots, unlike the leopard-like markings expected in related species. Over the next two nights, the team found 11 more sharks with the same distinctive pattern. Some were released after sampling, while others were kept for closer study. Genetic analysis in the lab confirmed the final identification, making it the first new addition to the walking shark group since 2013.

The discovery comes with concern. Researchers believe the species may live in a very limited area, perhaps only around Milne Bay. That would make it highly vulnerable to reef damage, fishing, coastal development and climate change. Blakeway said the team hopes to gather more data on another expedition in October so the International Union for Conservation of Nature can assess whether the shark should be listed as vulnerable or endangered. Five of the nine known walking shark species are already classified as vulnerable, largely because they occupy small geographic ranges. In the fragmented island-and-reef environment around Papua New Guinea, such species can evolve separately for millions of years, but they can also be wiped out quickly if their habitat is disturbed.