# Rediscovery of one of the world's rarest sharks, the sailback houndshark Gogolia filewoodi , in Papua New Guinea

## TL;DR

The sailback houndshark, a rare shark species not seen since the 1970s, was rediscovered in Papua New Guinea.

## Contribution

Rediscovery of Gogolia filewoodi, a shark species not seen in over 50 years, in Papua New Guinea.

## Key findings

- Five females and one male Gogolia filewoodi were recorded near the Gogol River mouth in 2020 and 2022.
- These are the first verified records of the species since its initial description in the 1970s.

## Abstract

A recent survey of artisanal and subsistence fishers in Madang, Papua New Guinea, resulted in rediscovery of the sailback houndshark Gogolia filewoodi. The five females and one male G. filewoodi recorded in 2020 and 2022 near the Gogol River mouth are the first verified records of this species since its description from a single specimen in the 1970s. Gogolia is a monotypic triakid genus and thus represents a unique evolutionary lineage not seen anywhere else in the world and could be an important marine biodiversity icon for Papua New Guinea.