New species of ‘walking sharks’ found in tropics. They use fins like feet on land

Four new species of “walking sharks” have been discovered in tropical waters off northern Australia and New Guinea, according to a report by the University of Queensland in Australia.

The 12-year study concluded the sharks’ unique “walking” abilities made them “the top predator on reefs during low tides.”

“Walking sharks” are considered the newest “lineage of sharks” on Earth, the study says.

“Using specially adapted fins, the sharks are able to pull themselves across reefs, even when they are not submerged by water,” Conservation International said in a Facebook post.

All the newly found species are small and “ornately patterned,” meaning they have little chance of sneaking up on unsuspecting people on a beach, the Australian university reported.

“At less than a meter long on average, walking sharks present no threat to people but their ability to withstand low oxygen environments and walk on their fins gives them a remarkable edge over their prey of small crustaceans and mollusks,” Christine Dudgeon, a faculty member at the University of Queensland, said in the report.

In all, it’s believed there are nine species of sharks that can walk on their fins, the report said.

The study, published this week in Marine & Freshwater Research, says all nine species are small, “restricted to the Indo-Australian Archipelago” and show little inclination to move beyond that region.

So don’t expect walking sharks in North America — yet.

“We believe there are more walking shark species still waiting to be discovered,” Dudgeon said in the report.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 6:59 AM with the headline "New species of ‘walking sharks’ found in tropics. They use fins like feet on land."