A team of divers set out to find one shark. Instead, they found a completely different one hiding in plain sight. This happened in the shallow reefs of Papua New Guinea, and it just added a tenth member to one of the strangest shark families on Earth. Because a new shark species discovered event like this makes headlines, scientists must now rethink how much of the ocean floor still hides secrets.
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Key Takeaways
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| New species | Hemiscyllium dudgeonae (Dudgeon’s walking shark) |
| Location found | Milne Bay province, Papua New Guinea |
| Published | June 15, 2026, Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation |
| Family size now | 10 known walking shark species |
| Conservation status | Suspected at risk of extinction, no formal IUCN listing yet |
| Unique trait | Walks on reef floors using its fins instead of swimming |
| Habitat depth | Less than 3 feet (about 1 meter) of water |
TL;DR: Scientists confirmed a new walking shark species, Hemiscyllium dudgeonae, off Papua New Guinea in June 2026. They used genetic testing and body pattern analysis to separate it from close relatives. It swims poorly but walks across shallow reefs on its fins, and researchers already suspect it faces extinction risk because of its narrow range.
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What Is the New Shark Species Discovered This Year?
Scientists call this shark Hemiscyllium dudgeonae. Most people know it by its nickname, Dudgeon’s walking shark, named after the researcher who helped identify it. It belongs to a small, unusual group of carpet sharks. These sharks use their pectoral and pelvic fins almost like legs to move across the seafloor.
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This was not a lucky accident. A team of divers spotted the shark in the dark waters around the reefs of southeastern Papua New Guinea, then named it Hemiscyllium dudgeonae. Interestingly, they were not even looking for it. The team had been searching for another walking shark species, called Michael’s walking shark, when they encountered the unusual shark instead. Sci.News
This pattern shows up often in recent ocean research. For example, our pillar tracker on 2026 deep sea species documents several similar stories from this year alone, where researchers hunting for one animal stumble onto something entirely new.
How Scientists Confirmed It Was a New Species
Spotting a slightly different looking shark does not prove a new species exists. Researchers had to confirm it both genetically and physically. Here is roughly how that process worked for Dudgeon’s walking shark:
- Divers collected a small number of live specimens from the reef for study.
- Scientists compared body patterns, fin shape, and coloring against known walking shark species.
- Lab teams tested DNA samples to confirm genetic differences from close relatives.
- A peer reviewed journal published the findings before researchers formally named the species.
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According to the research team, they caught a total of 12 individual sharks over the following days. They gathered biological samples from nine sharks and released them, then kept three for further study. DNA testing then confirmed these sharks carried enough genetic difference from other walking sharks to justify a new species. That last step, the DNA confirmation, truly separates a genuine new species from a shark that simply looks unusual.
For a deeper explainer on how researchers draw that line, check our newly identified ocean creature explainer, which breaks the process down in plain language.
What Makes Hemiscyllium dudgeonae Different From the Rest
So what actually sets this shark apart from the nine other walking sharks already known to science? A few details stand out clearly.
It Moves Differently Than Most Sharks
Walking sharks swim poorly compared to most reef predators. Instead, they rely on their fins to crawl across coral and sand. This lets them hunt in extremely shallow water where bigger predators cannot easily follow.
It Lives in an Unusually Shallow Habitat
Most new shark discoveries happen in deep water, far below where divers can reach. This one broke that pattern entirely. Researchers found it in water less than three feet, or about one meter, deep, which surprised even the scientists involved. That single detail may be the most important takeaway from the whole discovery, since it shows how much biodiversity still hides in places people assume scientists have already explored.
It Is Small, Rare, and Geographically Limited
Walking sharks stay small their whole lives. Adults typically reach 70 to 80 centimeters in length, though the largest recorded individual measured 107 centimeters. They also live in a narrow, specific region. The genus exists only around Australia and the island of New Guinea, an area known as a global hotspot for carpet shark diversity shaped by complex tectonic and sea level history.
That narrow range cuts both ways. It makes the species scientifically fascinating, but it also explains why conservationists already worry about its future.
Why This Discovery Worries Conservationists
New species headlines usually bring celebration. This one arrives with a warning attached instead.
Before this discovery, scientists recognized nine walking shark species. Two of those, including the leopard epaulette shark the team originally searched for, already carry a vulnerable status from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Now a tenth species joins that list, and researchers wasted little time raising concerns.
One researcher told reporters this species adds real value to Papua New Guinea’s biodiversity. However, she warned it also faces local extinction without urgent conservation action. That is a striking statement to make about an animal scientists only just described in a research paper.
The bigger picture across the whole genus looks even more concerning. Five of the ten known walking shark species already carry a Threatened with Extinction listing on the IUCN Red List, under a criterion that applies to only about 3 percent of all sharks. In short, walking sharks face disproportionate risk compared to sharks overall, and this newest family member may follow that same troubling trend.
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Meanwhile, a nearby population offers a genuinely hopeful comparison. Indonesia granted full legal protection to a related walking shark population in 2023. Just three years later, researchers recorded population densities reaching over 2,400 sharks per square kilometer in one protected bay. That number shows real recovery is possible, and it proves the outcome for Dudgeon’s walking shark is not fixed. Everything depends on what protections, if any, follow this discovery.
For wider context on how often these finds happen, our roundup of 2026 deep sea finds covers several other species discovered this year alongside this one.
How Dudgeon’s Walking Shark Compares to Other Recent Shark Discoveries
This is not the only shark related discovery making waves in 2026. Around the same time, researchers off Costa Rica confirmed a very different kind of shark relative.
They named it Rhinochimaera costaricana, a deep sea chimera commonly called a ghost shark. Scientists identified it using genetic tools alongside decades of collected specimens. Unlike the shallow reef habitat of the walking shark, this species lives at depths between roughly 390 and 787 meters, far beyond where any diver could reach it directly. Comparing the two side by side reminds us that new shark discoveries do not all look alike.
| Species | Habitat depth | Discovery method | Conservation concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hemiscyllium dudgeonae (walking shark) | Under 3 feet / 1 meter | Direct diver observation, DNA testing | Suspected at risk, narrow range |
| Rhinochimaera costaricana (ghost shark) | 390 to 787 meters | Museum specimens, genetic comparison | Data still limited |
Both cases share one key similarity. Genetics, not just appearance, made the final call on whether each animal counted as a truly new species. This has become the standard across modern marine taxonomy, and we track this theme closely in our rare fish species found coverage.
What This Means for the Future of Shark Research
New shark species discoveries offer more than fun trivia for ocean lovers. Each confirmed species adds a data point that helps researchers understand biodiversity hotspots, climate resilience, and where conservation funding should go next.
Researchers will likely focus on a few key priorities next for Dudgeon’s walking shark:
- Mapping the shark’s full range beyond the initial discovery site
- Estimating total population size to support a possible IUCN listing
- Studying reproduction and lifespan, since both remain largely unknown
- Assessing local threats, such as coastal development and fishing pressure in Milne Bay
If the pattern from other walking sharks holds true, a formal vulnerable or endangered listing could follow within a few years. This becomes especially likely if population surveys confirm the narrow range researchers already suspect.
For a similar earlier case, our piece on a newly discovered ocean creature follows almost the same discovery-to-concern pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the name of the newly discovered shark species?
Scientists named it Hemiscyllium dudgeonae, commonly known as Dudgeon’s walking shark, in a June 2026 research paper.
Where was the new shark species discovered?
Researchers found it in Milne Bay province, off the coast of Papua New Guinea, in very shallow reef water.
Is the new walking shark dangerous to humans?
No. Walking sharks stay small and nocturnal, and they feed on tiny invertebrates. They pose no real threat to swimmers or divers.
Is the new shark species endangered?
It does not yet carry an official IUCN Red List status. However, researchers already flagged it as at risk due to its narrow known range.
How many walking shark species exist now?
Ten species exist now, following the confirmation of Hemiscyllium dudgeonae, up from nine previously recognized species.
Conclusion
A shark that walks instead of swims, hiding in ankle deep water rather than the deep sea, reminds us how much of the ocean remains undocumented. Dudgeon’s walking shark stays small, shy, and largely harmless, yet its discovery carries real weight for conservation planning in Papua New Guinea. Whether this species gets the protection it may need depends on how quickly researchers map its range and how seriously local policy responds. For now, it stands out as one of the most compelling shark stories of 2026, proving that new discoveries still happen closer to shore than most people expect.
References
- Smithsonian Magazine, “Scientists Discover a New Species of ‘Walking’ Shark in Papua New Guinea” – https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-a-new-species-of-walking-shark-in-papua-new-guinea-they-suspect-its-at-risk-of-going-extinct-180988977/
- Florida Institute of Technology, “Using Genetic Testing, Scientists Discover New Shark Species” – https://news.fit.edu/science/using-genetic-testing-scientists-discover-new-shark-species/
- National Geographic Education Blog, “Scientists Discover New Species of Shark” – https://blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2018/02/28/scientists-discover-new-species-of-shark/
- Live Science, “Never-before-seen shark that ‘walks’ on land discovered off Papua New Guinea” – https://www.livescience.com/animals/sharks/never-before-seen-shark-that-walks-on-land-discovered-off-papua-new-guinea
- Sci.News, “New Species of Walking Shark Discovered off Papua New Guinea” – https://www.sci.news/biology/hemiscyllium-dudgeonae-14849.html
