Is This a Goblin Shark Spotted in Greece or a Harmless Toy?
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Loading... - Anneli Manurmi
- 28 Mar 2023
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Scientists who published a photo of what would be the first-ever goblin shark found in Greece and the whole of the Mediterranean Sea have retracted their report. The retraction, submitted on March 20, follows Gizmodo’s earlier reporting on the saga.
The scientists published a short description of what they claimed was the first goblin shark in the Mediterranean, based on a single, low-quality photo provided to them by a Greek citizen scientist in May 2022.
The photo was shot on the Greek Aegean island of Anafi. It then appeared in the journal Mediterranean Marine Science.
None of the researchers saw or interacted with that alleged specimen directly. The photo purporting to show the formerly living shark showed no scale, and the scientists were unable to make a firm estimate of its size.
Goblin sharks, elusive and distinctive looking deep-sea fish, have been documented in many places around the world but never before in the Mediterranean Sea.
If the 2022 record were genuine, it would represent an important range extension that could dictate future research funding or even marine conservation spending.
Yet many doubt its validity. Read More…
