For the first time, scientists have documented live goblin sharks (Mitsukurina owstoni) thriving in their natural deep ocean environment, according to research led by a University of Hawai’i at Mānoa research team. Until now, every confirmed video or observation of a live goblin shark came only after the animal had been accidentally caught on a fishing line and brought to the surface.
Deep-Sea Researchers Film Rare Goblin Sharks Alive in Natural Habitat
The historic observations provide an unprecedented look at one of the world’s rarest and most mysterious sharks without removing it from its habitat. Aaron Judah, lead author of the paper and doctoral candidate working in the Deep-Sea Fish Ecology Lab and Deep-Sea Animal Research Center (DARC) in the Department of Oceanography at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, described seeing the deep-sea shark alive and healthy as a unique honor.
Expanded Geographic Range and Depth Records
The newly documented encounters significantly expand both the species’ known geographic distribution and the depths at which it is known to live. Judah expressed surprise at how deep the species was found, noting that an observation from the slope of the Tonga Trench is nearly 700 meters deeper than the species was previously known to live. This Tonga Trench sighting also establishes a new depth record for the entire order of Lamniformes, also known as mackerel sharks, a group that includes the great white shark, basking shark, and mako shark.
The first encounter involved reviewing archived video recordings from a 2019 Ocean Exploration Trust expedition aboard the E/V Nautilus, which used the remotely operated vehicle Hercules to explore deep-sea ecosystems around Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, and Jarvis Island within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Judah confirmed that a goblin shark was captured on video during a livestreamed dive at an unnamed seamount northwest of Jarvis Island.
A second encounter occurred during a 2024 expedition to the Tonga Trench aboard the R/V Dagon as part of the Inkfish Open Ocean Expedition, led by scientists from the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Center. During this expedition, a baited camera mounted on a bottom lander captured rare footage of another goblin shark swimming freely in its natural environment. Alan Jamieson, professor and founding director at the Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Center and study co-author, noted that seeing the animal alive was amazing.
Mother Black-Eyed Squid Filmed Carrying Eggs off Chile
In another deep-sea discovery, deep-sea scientists observed a rare sight of a mother squid carrying her eggs through the ocean, putting herself at risk to protect her offspring. According to the Discoverwildlife, an underwater robot captured the extraordinary video in autumn 2024 while exploring the seafloor off the coast of Chile.
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While most squid species lay their eggs on the seafloor and do not provide parental care, the black-eyed squid (Gonatus onyx) is one of the few species that brood their eggs. A female carries her large egg mass for months, keeping it suspended from hooks on the squid’s arms. Because brooding squid cannot move very quickly during this time, they become easy prey for deep-diving marine mammals.
The cluster contains up to 3,000 eggs, and incubation lasts around six to nine months. The expectant mother continuously pumps water over her eggs to maintain a good oxygen supply and help mature hatchlings break free. After laying the eggs, she goes without feeding, and by the time they hatch, she is close to death.
