For the first time, scientists have captured video of a goblin shark alive in its natural deep-sea habitat. Previously known only from specimens hauled to the surface by fishermen, the species was filmed in 2024 at the Tonga Trench in the Pacific Ocean, one of Earth's deepest points. A second sighting, from 2019, was later identified in archival footage from a Nautilus expedition near Jarvis Island and Palmyra Atoll—expanding the known geographic range of the species.

The 2024 observation also revealed the shark at a depth nearly 700 meters deeper than previously recorded, pushing the known limits for lamniform sharks by 108 meters. These findings, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, offer new insights into the habitat and distribution of this rare 'living fossil,' which belongs to a lineage dating back 125 million years.

Goblin sharks are known for their distinctive pink bodies, elongated snouts, and protruding jaws lined with sharp teeth. As one of the few surviving members of the Mitsukurinidae family, this species helps scientists understand deep-sea evolution. The new data supports including the goblin shark in regional biodiversity assessments and conservation planning, especially in areas where its presence was previously unknown.