For nearly five decades, the sailback houndshark was little more than a mystery. Known only from a single specimen collected in the 1970s, many assumed the species had vanished for good. But ...

The sailback houndshark was first described as a new genus and species in 1973. Sagumai et al. / Journal of Fish Biology, 2025 In July 1970, a fisherman caught an unfamiliar shark in Papua New ...

Over 50 years after the last time it was reported, researchers have rediscovered the sailback houndshark, stumbling upon the long-lost species during a survey of fisheries in Papua New Guinea. If you ...

A rare shark species thought to be wiped out due to overfishing has been spotted for the first time after over five decades in Papua New Guinea, shedding more light on the region’s rich biodiversity.

How often do we discover a new animal on our planet, only for it to disappear from sight for decades and then suddenly reemerge, reminding us it never went extinct at all? That is the story of the ...

The sailback houndshark had not been seen since a fisherman first caught it near the mouth of the Gogol River in Madang 55 years ago, according to a study. Asso Myron Unsplash On a summer night in ...

In July 1970, a fisherman caught an unfamiliar shark in Papua New Guinea’s Astrolabe Bay. The mysterious creature—a pregnant female—had large, wide eyes, a big head and a short mouth. It also had a ...

Holly has a degree in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Leicester. Her scientific interests include genomics, personalized medicine, and bioethics.View full profile Holly has a degree in ...