Deep-sea scientists just saw something huge at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean

Deep-sea scientists just saw something huge at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean

The elusive animal was filmed swimming over the seafloor near the Phoenix Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean.

Published: March 28, 2025 at 10:42 am

Deep-sea scientists were cruising through the Phoenix Islands protected area when they saw a bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus).

“We asked everybody yesterday what they most wanted to see and there was almost a chorus of the word ‘shark’ all at the same time, says one of the Schmidt Ocean Institute researchers in the video. “Here you go guys.”

Watch: scientists spot a sixgill shark – a species that can grow almost five metres long – in the Pacific Ocean. Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute

As its name suggests, this species of shark is unusual for having more gills than most other species. 

“The vast majority of sharks in the ocean have only five gill slits on each side of their body," says NOAA Fisheries on its website.

"There are only six known living species of sharks with more gills, most of which belong to an ancient family of sharks known as cow sharks — the bluntnose sixgill, bigeye sixgill, bluntnose sevengill and sharpnose sevengill.

"The other two species of sharks with six gill slits are frilled sharks.”

Image and video credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute

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