Observe rare deep-sea goblin sharks living in their natural habitat
Researchers have recorded the elusive goblin shark in its natural habitat for the first time.
A creepy deep-sea creature has been spotted alive in its natural habitat for the first time.
Researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa have recorded the first two live sightings of the rare deep-sea goblin shark, Mitsculina austoni, in the South Pacific, according to a University of Hawaii at Manoa news release. One of the sharks was discovered near Jervis Island (about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands) in 2019, and the other was discovered in the Tonga Trench in 2024.
Until these findings were published in the Journal of Fish Biology, goblin sharks were only photographed or reported after they were hooked onto a fishing line and brought to the surface, where they died shortly after, the news release said. Additionally, the location where the shark was found appears to be an extension of the previously understood range of shark habitat.
Goblin sharks are known to inhabit a narrow region of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the western United States, Australia, Japan, and other parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, according to a news release. The new discovery expands the shark’s geographic range into the central Pacific Ocean.
“It’s extremely important that we still do natural history research,” Aaron Judah, the study’s lead author and a doctoral candidate at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, said in a news release. “New discoveries like this show that there is still much to explore in our deep ocean home. Given the newly expanded geographic range of the goblin shark, this species can be included in regional management and national biodiversity lists, where we previously didn’t even know it was there.”
What is a deep sea goblin shark?
Deep-sea goblin sharks are a member of the order Salmonidae, which includes well-known species such as great whites, basking sharks, and shortfin mako sharks. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the goblin shark’s long, protruding snout is covered with sensing organs that help it detect electrical fields in the deep ocean. Sharks can extend their jaws all the way to the tip of their snouts to catch fish, squid, and crustaceans.
According to the Australian Museum, the goblin shark can grow up to 12.8 feet and is often referred to as a “living fossil” because it comes from the family Goblin shark, which dates back 125 million years.
How were sharks discovered?
During a 2019 Marine Exploration Trust expedition aboard the EV Nautilus, the research vessel known for discovering the wreckage of the Titanic, the crew used a remote camera system to capture footage of what they believed to be a goblin shark, according to a news release. In 2025, Judah combed through the footage and confirmed that the team had indeed found this rare shark.
The second discovery was made in 2024 during an expedition by the research vessel RV Dagon to the Tonga Trench, the world’s second largest trench after the Mariana Trench. Scientists on board the Dagon used baited cameras to capture footage of the shark.
Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
