A New Walking Shark That Strolls the Seafloor on Its Fins

A 10th walking shark species, Hemiscyllium dudgeonae, was described off Papua New Guinea in June 2026

It uses four muscular fins like legs to amble across reef flats, sometimes with its body out of water

Walking sharks evolved roughly 9 million years ago, making them the youngest sharks alive

The species is named for shark scientist Christine Dudgeon, who first spotted it in March 2025

Researchers warn it could face local extinction from coral bleaching, coastal building and palm-oil expansion