A unique ghost-white shark was found by biologists. Fishermen targeting soles accidentally caught this intriguing predator.
Fishing off Los Chimus, Peru, the fishermen reported their amazing find to authorities.
The shark had gill slit injuries upon capture, perhaps from being caught in their nets the month before.
Researchers found that the shark had leucism, a disorder that causes partial pigmentation loss.
This disorder is different from albinism, which causes melanin deficiency in hair, eyes, and skin. Leucism turns animals white while keeping their eye color, unlike albinism, which causes pink or red eyes.
IMARPE reported that this is the first shark with this illness in Peruvian seas. The specimen was an 89cm-long juvenile female. Female sharks achieve sexual maturity about 220cm.
This predator preys on sharks, rays, cetaceans, and sea lions and is high in the trophic food chain. When pursuing larger prey, broadnose seven-gill sharks work together. Their seven gill slits separate them from most sharks' five.