Indian Bramble Shark Echinorhinus roinee Identified at Depths of 350–450 Metres

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A deep-sea shark long mistaken for its Atlantic relative has been identified as a distinct species by Indian scientists. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) named the species Echinorhinus roinee, or the Indian Bramble Shark, the ZSI said in a statement on Thursday (November 12, 2026). The discovery corrects decades of misclassification and improves understanding of Indian Ocean biodiversity.

The specimens were collected at Sakthikulangara Fishing Harbour in Kollam, Kerala, where they were brought ashore as accidental catches by deep-sea shrimp trawlers. The sharks live along the continental shelf slopes at depths of 350 to 450 metres and can grow up to three metres in length. They have a dark brown to almost black body covered with large, thorn-like structures that join to form plates with several pointed edges as the shark ages. Scientists found that the newly identified species has larger eyes, bigger pelvic fins and a longer region between its snout and gills compared to related species. DNA tests confirmed it is genetically distinct from the Atlantic bramble shark (Echinorhinus brucus) and the Pacific prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei). The findings have been published in the journal 'Records of the Zoological Survey of India' (Volume 126, Issue 1S, 2026).

For several decades, bramble sharks caught in Indian waters were wrongly identified as the Atlantic species, which also affected earlier fisheries records and studies on marine ecology, scientists said. Genetic records from other regions suggest that the newly identified species may also be found in waters off Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand, indicating that its distribution is not limited to the Indian coast, the statement said. The research was conducted by Praveen Rozario, Bineesh K.K., Sweta Beura, Anil Kasinath and Dhriti Banerjee of ZSI, along with Akhilesh KV of ICAR-CMFRI, and received funding from the Ministry of Earth Sciences under India's Deep Ocean Mission.

What is India's Deep Ocean Mission?

India's Deep Ocean Mission is a central sector scheme approved by the Union Cabinet in June 2021, implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It aims to explore deep-sea resources and develop technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources. One of its six pillars focuses on deep-sea biodiversity exploration and conservation. The mission also includes the development of a manned submersible called Matsya 6000, capable of reaching 6,000 metres depth.

How was the Indian Bramble Shark distinguished?

Researchers used both physical measurements and DNA evidence to distinguish Echinorhinus roinee from other bramble sharks. Compared with the Atlantic bramble shark and the Pacific prickly shark, the Indian species has larger eyes, bigger pelvic fins and a longer region between the snout and gills. Its skin bears large, thorn-like structures that join into plates with several pointed edges as the shark ages. DNA tests confirmed that it is genetically distinct from both Echinorhinus brucus and Echinorhinus cookei.

What does the discovery mean for marine biodiversity studies?

The identification corrects decades of misclassification that affected earlier fisheries records and marine ecology studies, according to scientists. ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee said the finding reminds us how much of the deep-sea biodiversity is still waiting to be properly understood. Genetic records suggest the species may also occur off Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand, though these records indicate a possible rather than conclusively established range. The study was funded under India's Deep Ocean Mission, which aims to explore deep-sea ecosystems.