Indian Scientists Identify New Deep-Sea Shark Species in the Indian Ocean

A deep-sea shark found in Indian Ocean waters, long thought to be the same as the Atlantic species, has now been identified as a completely new species by Indian scientists.

The Discovery

Researchers named the newly discovered species Echinorhinus roinee, or the Indian Bramble Shark. Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India and the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute made this finding, announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026. The specimens used for the study were collected at Sakthikulangara Fishing Harbour in Kollam, Kerala, after being brought ashore as accidental catches by deep-sea shrimp trawlers. These sharks live along the underwater slopes of the continental shelf at depths of 350 to 450 metres and can grow up to three metres in length.

Physical and Genetic Traits

The shark has a dark brown to almost black body covered with large, thorn-like structures on its skin that join together to form plates with several pointed edges as the animal grows older. Scientists found that the Indian Bramble Shark has larger eyes, bigger pelvic fins, and a longer region between its snout and gills compared to related species. DNA tests confirmed it is genetically different from the Atlantic bramble shark and the Pacific prickly shark. Genetic records also suggest the species may live in waters off Oman, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Background and Context

For several decades, bramble sharks caught in Indian waters were wrongly identified as the Atlantic species, which affected earlier fisheries records and marine ecology studies. Zoological Survey of India Director Dhriti Banerjee stated that measurements and DNA evidence proved the Indian Bramble Shark is a distinct species. The research team included Praveen Rozario, Bineesh K.K., Sweta Beura, Anil Kasinath, and Dhriti Banerjee of the Zoological Survey of India, alongside Akhilesh KV of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. The study received funding from the Ministry of Earth Sciences under India's Deep Ocean Mission and was published in the journal Records of the Zoological Survey of India.

Context

Deep-sea exploration often reveals new marine species because the ocean depths remain largely unexplored by researchers. Accidental catches by commercial fishing vessels frequently provide scientists with rare specimens from deep waters that would otherwise be difficult to find. Correct species identification is a key part of marine science because accurate records help governments and researchers protect ocean life and manage fisheries properly.