Cryptic Shark

A genetically distinct species of hammerhead shark has been discovered in South Carolina's waters, emphasizing the importance of protecting their habitat.

Temporarily called the "cryptic species," the ninth recognized species in the hammerhead family was discovered by Joe Quattro, a biology professor at the University of South Carolina, while studying coastal fish with other biologists.

Quattro noticed that there was something different in the genetic makeup of some of the hammerhead sharks. He noted that the DNA that's passed from mothers to their offspring had different characteristics in these sharks than in others.

Quattro and his colleagues also found that the cryptic species was not as abundant as the scalloped hammerhead, a familiar and common coastal shark.

Although young sharks of the cryptic species were found in Florida and North Carolina, only shark "pups" were showing up off the coast of South Carolina.

"If South Carolina's waters are the primary nursery grounds for the cryptic species and females gather here to reproduce, these areas should be conservation priorities," Quattro said. "Management plans are needed to ensure that these sharks are not adversely impacted so that we can learn more."

--Sara Goudarzi

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Credit: University of South Carolina