Off the coast of the United Kingdom, scientists added bait to an underwater camera, dropped it over the side of their research vessel and waited.
Below, a curious predator with “blade-like teeth” approached the bait. It turned out to be a “rare” visitor.
Researchers spent three years studying marine life at 28 sites in Sussex, a region along the southwest coast of the United Kingdom, the University of Sussex said in a May 1 press release. Their goal was to document the animals they saw and the best way to find them.
The project used two different survey methods: baited remote underwater video (BRUV) and environmental DNA (eDNA), according to a study published April 30 in the peer-reviewed journal PeerJ. The first technique involves placing cameras underwater with bait in front to attract sea creatures. The second involves analyzing DNA samples taken from water.
In total, researchers discovered 81 different species living off the Sussex coast, including eels, sharks and fish.
One of the underwater cameras photographed a tan shark, a “rare” species in the region, the statement said. One photo shows the predator swimming toward the left side of the bait, partially obscured by the murky water.
Kite sharks, scientifically known as Galeorhinus galeus, are migratory animals with “blade-like teeth,” according to the Florida Museum. They can grow to about 6 feet long and weigh around 100 pounds, but are considered “harmless to humans” and often sought after as a food source.
The researchers also discovered eDNA from another surprising marine animal: the European eel, or Anguilla anguilla, a critically endangered species, according to the study. This species was not seen on camera.
“Through this analysis we have been able to discover so many different species in our waters, and I think people will be surprised to learn just how diverse this area of the UK coastline is,” said co-author of the study. study, Alice Clark, in the press release. .
The researchers also concluded that “overall, BRUV surveys are more affordable than those conducted with eDNA,” but that “eDNA detects almost three times as many species as BRUV.” They suggested that the two methods be used in tandem.
The study provides a “baseline of the marine vertebrate community in Sussex Bay” and will be useful for “future biodiversity monitoring”, the study says.
The research team included Alice Clark, Sophie Atkinson, Valentina Scarponi, Tim Cane, Nathan Geraldi, Ian Hendy, J. Reuben Shipway and Mika Peck.
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