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scientist recently confirmed that endangered scalloped hammerhead sharks have a suspect twin — a newfound mintage , still unnamed , that is distinct , yet very closely resembles the threatened shark .
The showcase of false individuality show that scallopedhammerhead sharksare even more scarce than once think , according to some research worker .
A scalloped hammerhead shark.
Since it ’s very hard to tell the two species apart — only differences in their DNA and numeral of vertebrae reveal their true identicalness — it ’s likely that previous assessments of scallop hammerhead shark exaggerated their numbers because the reckoning in all likelihood included the look - alike shark .
" It ’s a classic typeface of long - stand species misidentification that not only drift further doubt on the position of the very scalloped hammerhead , but also raises business about the universe position of this new metal money , " Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center professor Mahmood Shivji said in a statement .
Shivji ’s team at the Florida university first discovered the fresh dunderhead metal money in 2005 when examine the DNA of sharks thought to be scalloped hammerheads base on their forcible appearance . A enquiry team from the University of South Carolina severally confirmed the macrocosm of the unexampled species in 2006 .
A scalloped hammerhead shark.
Combined genetic assessments from both institutions show that at least 7 percent of the shark in U.S. piss in the beginning remember to be scallop hammerheads turned out to be the newly place species .
Now , researchers have found the unknown shark , a so - call " cryptic " species , swimming in waters off the coast of Brazil , thou of mil from where the specie was ab initio discover . The find point the cryptical species is far-flung , and may be facing similar pressure sensation as its nearly selfsame cousin .
Shark populations around the worldhave worsen sharply in recent decades , with jillion of the iconic Pisces falling victim tothe ghastly practice of finning .
Shark fins bring in a high price inChina , where they are used for shark fin soup .
Shark finning is mostly banned in the United States , and many case-by-case states have banned the trade and monomania of shark fivesome . However , evidence from around the world show that finning continues to claim millions of shark lives each year .
