Squalus clarkae is a new species of deepwater shark in the dogfish family recently described from specimens collected in the Gulf of Mexico. The evolutionary pressure of living in the deep sea shapes many of the sharks to be small and slender making this species hard to distinguish from congeners.
However, genetic analysis was used to separate Squalus clarkae from similar looking species, after which its larger, closely spaced eyes became apparent in this species population. This new species of shark is named in honor of Eugenie Clark who earned the nickname of ‘Shark Lady’ for her tireless work to help people better understand this ancient and important group of ocean animals. [Gizmodo]
