Q COSTARICA — Recently, a bright orange nurse shark was accidentally captured off Barra de Parismina, in the province of Limón.
The nurse shark, which measured more than 2 meters (six feet) long, stood out from the species’ usual brown colouring. The shark was captured on a sport fishing trip near Tortuguero National Park, at a depth of 37 metres (120 feet).
The specimen had white eyes, reinforcing the hypothesis that it could be a combination of xanthism and albinism – also known as xanthochroism – a pigmentation condition that creates excessive yellow or golden colours in the animals’ skin due to a lack of red pigmentation.
According to scientists, the phenomenon is extremely rare. The rare condition has never been seen in cartilaginous fish, a group that includes sharks, rays, and skates, in the Caribbean before, according to Federal University of Rio Grande research.
Specialists also explained that xanthism occurs when dark pigments are lost, revealing yellow or orange tones in the skin.
Unlike most sharks, which must continuously swim to breathe, the nurse shark has a special buccal pump that allows them to breathe without swimming.
While some researchers argue that animals with xanthism face lower survival rates, the scientists believe this case shows that this may not be the case.
This discovery reinforces the natural wealth of the Costa Rican Caribbean and opens the door to future studies on marine biodiversity.
The discovery was shared by international media. The images were shared on Parismina Domus Dei’s social media.