SYDNEY, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The rare and elusive deep-sea goblin shark has been observed alive in its natural habitat for the first time, according to new research that significantly extends the species' known depth and geographic range.

File photo: Agencies

The study documents two live sightings of the goblin shark in the central Pacific Ocean at a seamount near Jarvis Island, on the slope of the Tonga Trench, according to a statement from the University of Western Australia (UWA) released on Friday.

Goblin sharks, often described as "living fossils," are the only surviving members of a lineage dating back around 125 million years. Previously, they had only been seen alive when accidentally caught on fishing lines and brought to the surface, where they soon died, researchers said.

One sighting, recorded in 2024 during an expedition aboard the research vessel Dagon, captured a goblin shark at a depth of 1,997 meters, about 700 meters deeper than previously documented. The footage, lasting just over 20 seconds, was obtained after more than 50 days of continuous deep-sea recording.

"The goblin shark is a deep-sea charismatic animal, and I never thought we'd see one alive," said Professor Alan Jamieson, director of Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Center and co-author of the study published in the Journal of Fish Biology.

A second observation, filmed in 2019 at 1,237 meters, was captured by a remotely operated vehicle near an unnamed seamount northwest of Jarvis Island, said study lead author Aaron Judah from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Researchers said the findings extend the species' known range into the central Pacific and highlight the limited understanding of deep-ocean ecosystems.