Overview
- Researchers published a formal description of Hemiscyllium dudgeonae on June 15, 2026, naming the new walking shark after Dr. Christine Dudgeon.
- Field teams captured an initial specimen and 11 additional individuals in Milne Bay, took tissue samples, and kept several specimens for study before returning most to the water.
- DNA analysis confirmed the shark is genetically distinct from all other Hemiscyllium species and the discovery brings the genus to ten known species.
- Scientists warn H. dudgeonae appears restricted to Milne Bay and faces threats from coastal development, palm‑oil expansion, fishing pressure, and coral bleaching that could make it highly vulnerable or endangered.
- The paper also revises where walking sharks occur in eastern Papua New Guinea and notes that short home ranges and egg‑laying reproduction limit dispersal, so the team plans further surveys in October to collect data for an IUCN Red List assessment.