Kerala shark mystery solved: DNA reveals a new species after decades

Indian scientists have identified a new deep-sea shark species, Echinorhinus roinee, after specimens caught off Kerala were mistakenly classified as Atlantic bramble sharks for decades. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India and ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute used physical examination and mitochondrial DNA analysis to confirm its distinct Indian Ocean lineage. Growing up to three metres, the Indian Bramble Shark highlights the unexplored diversity of India's deep-sea ecosystem and the importance of accurate species identification for marine conservation.