Stream Now
Shows
See All Shows
Gold Rush
Naked and Afraid
Expedition Unknown
Deadliest Catch
Moonshiners
Harpoon Hunters
Homestead Rescue
See All Shows
Schedule
Shark Week

Photo by: Jerome Mallefet/National Fund for Scientific Research, Catholic University of Louvain

Jerome Mallefet/National Fund for Scientific Research, Catholic University of Louvain

Meet the Deep Sea Sharks that Glow in the Dark

By: Vicky Vásquez

The largest bioluminescent creature on land or sea was found in the ocean near New Zealand.

March 11, 2021

Before you GLOW your mind over the latest in bioluminescent shark research, first consider that Kitefin Sharks were discovered in 1788 with the included characteristic of ‘not a Sandtiger Shark’. Sure, that’s some heavy paraphrasing from a 232-year-old Italian journal and since then, sure, scientists realized Kitefin Sharks could bioluminesce, but it's only now in 2021 that the how’s and why’s are being answered.

Kitefin Sharks are not only the largest of the luminous sharks, this study found that they’re the only ones to light up their dorsal fins and possess a type of dermal denticle (aka shark scale) that until now, had never before been associated with bioluminescence.

The functionality of bioluminescence was also examined in this study for the first time in two Lanternshark species, the Southern Lanternshark, and the Blackbelly Lanternshark (with the Velvetbelly Lanternshark being the first in 2009). This rapid fire of ‘firsts’ in the study of glowing sharks was only made possible by the examination of living specimens at sea, kept in ice-water tanks, in dark rooms.

Now consider that from the initial discovery of Kitefin Sharks to today, it has been over two hundred years before researchers were able to study these sharks alive! Mind ‘glown’.

Next Up

Are Sharks Coming Closer to Our Shores?

Scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science have speculated that variables related to high urbanization may be driving higher occurrences of sharks within coastal waters. With high increased levels of urbanization in coastal cities, it’s important for our world to understand how ocean life adapts to the changes in their habitats.

Everything You Need to Know about the Daily Bite

SHARK WEEK returns July 11 on Discovery and discovery+. This year, take a dive deeper with THE DAILY BITE PODCAST. Marine biologist Luke Tipple interviews the top experts behind SHARK WEEK, getting a behind-the-scenes take on their adventures and research -- from close calls and dangerous deep sea dives to the new discoveries and conservation happening today.

Canada's Wildlife is in Hot Water

Uncharacteristically hot temperatures in Canada and the Pacific Northwest have left people searching for relief. But what about the wildlife? It is only getting warmer, and that has caused irreversible damage and tragic demise to over 1 billion sea creatures.

Discover the Last Unknown of the Aleutian Islands

The Aleutian Islands in Alaska are a rugged, wild network of 2,500+ islands which swing out from a small fishing village out into the middle of the Bering Sea. They are not only protected by remote isolation, but also in their designation as Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.Watch Ian’s full adventure unfold in THE LAST UNKNOWN: The Aleutian Islands, streaming on discovery+ on March 18.

Digging Sea Otters Stimulate Sexual Reproduction in Seagrass

Hungry sea otters improve the genetic diversity of eelgrass when digging for clams among aquatic vegetation, found scientists.

Meet the Island Fox of Channel Islands National Park

When I first started photographing Channel Islands National Park in Southern California in the mid-1990s, it was a very different place. As more and more people seek unique outdoor experiences, visitors to the islands have increased, but the most notable change I’ve witnessed over the years is the recovery of the park’s endemic island fox.

Meet Brood X: Billions of Cicadas Emerging Soon Within Eastern U.S.

Do you hear it? If you live in the Eastern U.S., it's likely the noisy entrance of the cicadas from Brood X as they emerge for the first time in 17 years.

An Inspiration for All: Rosie the Penguin

Rosie the Riveter, meet your adorable present-day inspiration, Rosie the penguin from the OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Sea Otters Play and Grow at Georgia Aquarium

When visiting Georgia Aquarium, you may see our southern sea otters playing with toy keys, Kongs ™, and carwash kelp, or maybe you’ve seen them lounging in a kiddie pool filled with ice. These are all environmental enrichment devices and are essential to the care and health of our animals.

Shark Tracking is Protecting Endangered Species like the Great White and Tiger Shark

Scientists use a variety of methods, from acoustic tracking to body cams, to collect vital information on where sharks live, their numbers, their behavior, and environmental health.See scientists at work using these technologies to help study and save the sharks. Stream SHARK WEEK now on discovery+.