‘Shadow swimming just beyond’: First ever live footage of roughskin dog fish shark captured | Watch

The roughskin dog fish shark, a species of the shark family, which has never been seen live before, was recently spotted in the uncharted depths of the Cayman Islands. Scientists described their first glimpse of the shark as a “shadow swimming just beyond the (camera’s) detection window," stated multiple reports.

Researchers from the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and project partner, Beneath the Waves, used a baited remote underwater video system (BRUVS) to track the dogfish shark alive. Researchers recorded two curious individuals at a depth of 1,045 meters during a deep-sea study from 2022 to 2024.

Why is roughskin dogfish's live footage important

Around 11 minutes of the footage from the project show the elusive roughskin dogfish shark (Centroscymnus owstonii). Few moments after the scientist spotted the shadow, the predator shark approached the bait, giving researchers an opportunity to study the species alive in its natural habitat.

The roughskin dog fish shark's discovery, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, is significant as it provides the first live footage of this species, which was previously known only from dead specimens. Reportedly, the group of scientists who discovered the dog fish shark, hoped the findings would encourage conservation efforts to protect Cayman Islands' biodiversity.

As per conservationists, live footage of any specimens help identify critical habitats and migration patterns of creatures of the animal kingdom.

Researchers involved in discovering the roughskin dogfish

A multidisciplinary team of scientists, including Olivia Dixon, Shannon Aldridge, Johanna Kohler, Anne Veeder, Paul Chin, Teresa Fernandes, Timothy Austin, Rupert Ormond, Mauvis Gore, Diego Vaz, and Austin Gallagher led the discovery. Their expertise and use of innovative technologies such as the BRUVS system have set a new benchmarks for deep-sea exploration.

Taditional methods such as fishing and trawling, which have often been used for deep sea exploration, usually harm marine life. However, video-based systems like the dBRUV allow researchers to study species with minimal ecological disturbance.