Researchers have captured footage of sliteye sharks (Loxodon macrorhinus) swimming in the Chagos Archipelago – the first time this species has been recorded in this area.
The scientists put Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) systems down on seagrass beds in the Great Chagos Bank to see what marine life would be attracted when there were no humans around – and were surprised when sliteye sharks swam past the camera.
“Discovering the sliteye shark in the Chagos Archipelago was incredibly exciting,” says Charlotte Oulton from the Marine and Conservation Ecology Lab at Swansea University. “Not only is it a new record for the region, but it also highlights how much we still have to learn about deepwater seagrass ecosystems and their role in supporting marine biodiversity, particularly in remote regions of the Indian Ocean.”
The seagrass beds where the sharks were spotted (between 23 and 29 metres deep) had never been studied before. They discovered this deep-sea seagrass several years ago, thanks to a little help from another marine creature.
“Satellite tracking of green turtles led us to discover extensive seagrass meadows on the Great Chagos Bank at depths of 25–30 metres – far deeper than expected,” says Dr Nicole Esteban, associate professor in marine ecology at Swansea University.
“We have now recorded a wide diversity of marine life using this seagrass habitat for shelter and food, including over 110 fish species, and as we now know, the sliteye shark.”
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