Researchers from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa have documented live goblin sharks (Mitsukurina owstoni) in their natural deep-ocean habitats for the first time. According to a study published in the Journal of Fish Biology, these observations include a sighting near a seamount by Jarvis Island and another along the slope of the Tonga Trench, significantly expanding the known geographic range and depth limits of the species.
Why are these goblin shark sightings a scientific breakthrough?
Until this research, every confirmed video or observation of a live goblin shark occurred after the animal was accidentally caught on a fishing line and brought to the surface. According to lead author Aaron Judah, a doctoral candidate at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, these animals typically died shortly after being brought up for examination.
The 2024 sighting in the Tonga Trench is particularly significant because it occurred nearly 700 meters deeper than any previously recorded depth for the species. According to Judah, this also sets a new depth record for the entire order of Lamniformes, which includes the great white and mako sharks.
How was the expanded geographic range discovered?
The discovery happened in two distinct phases. The first sighting was identified through archived footage from a 2019 Ocean Exploration Trust expedition. The E/V Nautilus had explored ecosystems around Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, and Jarvis Island within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.
The second encounter took place during a 2024 expedition to the Tonga Trench aboard the R/V Dagon. This mission was part of the Inkfish Open Ocean Expedition, led by the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Center. A baited camera on a bottom lander captured the footage of the shark swimming freely.
What does this mean for deep-sea conservation?
According to Alan Jamieson, professor and founding director at the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Center, seeing these "charismatic animals" alive in their environment is a rare event that validates the need for deep-sea exploration.
Previously, goblin sharks were known only from limited regions off Japan, Australia, and the western United States, with small populations in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. By confirming their presence in the Central Pacific, the research allows these areas to be integrated into biodiversity protections.
Comparison of Goblin Shark Observation Methods
| Previous Method | New Research Method |
|---|---|
| Accidental fishing line capture | Baited lander cameras |
| Surface examination (often fatal) | In-situ observation in natural habitat |
| Limited known range (Japan, USA, Australia) | Expanded range to Central Pacific/Tonga Trench |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are goblin sharks found?
They were previously known in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans (specifically off Japan, Australia, and the US). New sightings confirm they also inhabit the Central Pacific, including the Tonga Trench and areas near Jarvis Island.
How deep can goblin sharks live?
The recent observation in the Tonga Trench established a new record, extending the species’ known depth limit by nearly 700 meters.
Why are they called living fossils?
According to the research team, they are the sole surviving members of a shark family that dates back approximately 125 million years.
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