New Species of River Shark Discovered

Papua New Guinea's river shark is one of more than 1,000 new species discovered on one island in the last several years.

River Shark (Glyphis garricki), Papua New Guinea. The most extraordinary new freshwater discovery must be the new species of river shark, Glyphis garricki, discovered in 2008 in Port Romilly, Gulf District, Papua New Guinea. River sharks move along shorelines and can be found in some of Asia-Pacific’s largest rivers, including the Indus, Irrawaddy and Ganges. Glyphis garricki is the sixth species of the elusive Glyphis genus to be described. The largest specimen recorded of this new species, also called the Northern River Shark, is 2.5m in length. Despite its large size, the species is seldom seen and it remains rare, leading scientists to list the new species as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Since its discovery, a total of 16 individuals have been recorded, scattered across localities off New Guinea and northern Australia.

Photo By: Will White / CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research / WWF

This river shark (Glyphis garricki), the latest of six similar species of river sharks to be described, was called "the most extraordinary new freshwater discovery" after its discovery in 2008. It is one of more than 1,000 discovered in New Guinea in recent years, according to WWF, which has just released a report on the island's amazing natural riches. Politically divided between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, the island sits north of Australia.

"As a region with high rates of poverty, it is absolutely essential that New Guinea's precious reefs, rainforests, and wetlands are not plundered but managed sustainably for future generations," Susanne Schmitt, New Guinea Programme Manager at WWF-UK, said in a news release.

Conservation International has previously reported on its discoveries of amazing new wildlife species in New Guinea. See more photos of newly discovered Papua New Guinea wildlife.

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