6 days ago
Rare discovery found inside shark hooked off Aussie coast
Using a microscope to examine the dead Australian sharpnose shark, researchers from CQUniversity identified a 'rare' parasitic worm, previously unknown to science, inside its gills.
Video transcript
A surprising discovery has been made inside the body of a shark hooked at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, using a microscope to examine the dead Australian sharp-nosed shark, researchers from CQ University identified a rare parasitic worm, previously unknown to science inside its gills.
Lead researcher Doctor David Vaughan explained the new species, Loimus everingami is the first of its kind to be described in Oceania.
The parasite needs the shark to survive, and the species doesn't cause any harm to its host as long as numbers stay low.
The worm lives in the shark's gills for its adult life, feeding on skin and mucus.
