Scientists discover new walking shark species in Papua New Guinea that can stroll on land

The bizarre creature was discovered lurking on the shores of Papua New Guinea (Image: Nesha Ichida)

A shark capable of walking out of the ocean has astonished experts after being identified as an entirely new species.

The unusual creature, found on the coastline of Papua New Guinea, can drag most of its body out of the water using its fins.

While the discovery has caused a stir in the scientific community, residents have been aware of the land-roving fish for generations. Observing them moving across shallow reef flats during low tide, locals have named the creature kadedekedewa, which means “dog shark” or “lazy shark.”

The unusual predators are part of the Hemiscyllium genus – commonly known as walking or epaulette sharks. They use their pectoral fins like legs to move across the seabed and land, and are found exclusively around Australia and New Guinea.

The newly recognized species has been named Hemiscyllium dudgeonae in honor of Christine Dudgeon from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, who helped formally identify it, reports the Daily Star.

Dr. Dudgeon encountered the creature just after midnight during a research expedition in March 2025. It was swimming in just a meter of water above a seagrass meadow in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea.

Ironically, she was searching for a completely different species at the time.

Dr. Dudgeon told the New Scientist: “Because it was so late and I had been in the water for a while, I was a bit over it. Then I just saw one swimming along the bottom.”

Reacting swiftly, she directed her flashlight straight at the shark, which measured nearly three-quarters of a meter in length, causing it to freeze in place due to a natural defensive reflex.

She then seized the creature and employed a skillful, martial-arts-inspired restraint technique known among experts as the “flip and tuck.”

Dr. Dudgeon said: “You sort of just flip them over and tuck the tail under your armpit and it stops them from wriggling away.”

Once the shark was securely restrained, she handed it up to her colleague Jess Blakeway, who was waiting aboard a nearby drifting vessel.

Blakeway said: “Straight away, just from the colour pattern, I could see it was very distinctively different to the other species that we work with and the other species that we know of.”

There are nine other known species of walking shark, all of which feed on small invertebrates found on the ocean floor. While these species share nearly identical body shapes and sizes, they are typically distinguished by the unique markings on their skin.

Although the team anticipated finding a shark with a leopard-like pattern, the newly discovered creature appeared strikingly different.

Blakeway added: “This new one has got lots of spots and dashes that reminded me of braille or morse code.”

Over the next several days, the team successfully captured 11 more sharks across three separate locations. Nine were returned to the wild following the collection of tissue samples, while three were retained for more detailed examination.

Back in the laboratory, extensive DNA analysis officially verified that the “Morse code” shark was genetically distinct from every other walking shark species on the planet. Sadly, despite being newly identified, this walking shark is already confronting the threat of complete extinction.

The species faces severe danger from habitat loss driven by coastal development, growing palm oil plantations, and catastrophic coral bleaching.

Researchers worry that H. dudgeonae exists only in Milne Bay, rendering it the most critically endangered walking shark species worldwide.

Blakeway added: “This species adds to Papua New Guinea’s extraordinary biodiversity, yet it faces local extinction without urgent conservation action.”

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