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A mysterious "translucent egg case" discovered last week off an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico was identified by NOAA explorers few scientists had seen.
A NOAA mission report, "We could clearly see the embryo … actively swimming in the case," says a NOAA mission report.
This embryo was a "very rare sighting" of a developing cat, a somewhat-understood shark species that takes its name from its disgusting and haunting feline eyes.
Catsharks are notoriously "shy and nocturnal and often hide in crevices," reports National Geographic. And they are small, and typically measure about 20 inches in length off Puerto Rico, according to the NOAA.
A catshark was seen resting on the seabed during the 16th dive of the recent expedition off Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration
"Most catsharks live in the seas located above the upper continental slope, making it difficult to observe these sharks and collect specimens. As a result, a lot of information about cats is yet to be discovered, "reports AnimalDiversity.org.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, they are not considered a danger to humans, although they have mouths full of teeth.
The egg hull was observed on November 15 during an NOAA exploration off "poorly understood and poorly understood deepwater areas" near Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The expedition started on October 30th and ended on Tuesday, November 20th.
The NOAA scientists used a mobile camera to see the egg, which was attached to a coral branch at more than 820 feet of altitude, off the mountainous island of Desecheo. The island, located 21 km from Puerto Rico, is still not inhabited by federal law "due to an unexploded military ordinance," according to IslandsofPuertoRico.com.
The NOAA report indicates that the ocean floor in the region is teeming with "overhangs, crevices and large block – like blocks" where all types of marine life can easily hide.
Explorers reported seeing spotted catsharks several times during the expedition, some at depths greater than 1,500 feet. This species of cat shark is generally seen at depths of 360 feet, but has been spotted at only 1,300, according to the Museum of Natural History of Florida. That would make the one spotted at 1500 a little deeper than the norm.
Scientists also documented creatures they could not easily identify, including a long-eyed black-eyed shark resting on the bottom of the ocean 100 meters from the Inés María Mendoza Nature Reserve, a NOAA report said. .
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