Story highlights
- Ninja lanternshark discovered by Cal State grad student and professors
- Shark was named by four children
(CNN)It's not often that someone discovers a new species, especially when it's been under their nose for years.
A shark collected during a research expedition in 2010 turns out to be a ninja lanternshark, a brand new species of shark, so named because it is all black, which is how a ninja is typically dressed.
The scientific name is Etmopterus benchleyi, a reference to "Jaws" author Peter Benchley.
Grad student Vicky Vasquez and Dr. Douglas J. Long wrote about their findings after being asked to take a closer look at the shark (along with her professor, Dr. David A. Ebert of the Pacific Shark Research Center at Cal State).
Photos: Best sharks in pop culture
Photos: Best sharks in pop culture
You've survived the cultural phenomena that were the first and second "Sharknado" movies without a bite. Ian Ziering and Tara Reid returned with the Syfy channel's "Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!" on Wednesday, July 22. Click through to see more of our favorite sharks in pop culture.
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Photos: Best sharks in pop culture
Steven Spielberg's 1975 shark thriller "Jaws" gave birth to the summer blockbuster and a cultural love-hate relationship with swimming in the ocean. The filmmaker's classic also proved that these beasts were ready for their close-ups.
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Photos: Best sharks in pop culture
These dancing sharks (especially the left one) became an Internet meme after dancing with Katy Perry during the Super Bowl halftime show in February.
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Photos: Best sharks in pop culture
Maybe we can blame our current obsession with sharks on the generation who grew up watching "Jabberjaw," ABC's animated series that ran from 1976 to 1978. The kids' show was reportedly inspired by "Jaws," but this version was far more cuddly; Jabberjaw held regular jam sessions with his human pals.
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