Tuesday 6 September 2022 07:44 PM Ultra-rare porbeagle sharks are spotted 'dueling' off the coast of New England trends now
Rare footage of ‘phantom’ sharks, formally known as porbeagle, swimming off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts shows the apex predators challenging each other in what could either be a duel over a mate or hunting grounds.
The exciting video and images of the encounter was captured by Joe and Lauren Romeiro, a husband and wife duo that researches sharks through non-invasive sampling techniques, who were able to get up close with these porbeagle sharks that primarily stick to deeper, colder waters.
Two sharks first appear in the dark waters, circling each other, and then three others join the spectacle in what thee team calls 'the motherload' - it is very rare to see one porbeagle, let alone a group.
The Romeiros have spent countless hours observing sharks off the coast of New England, but sightings of the porbeagle is so rare they dubbed it the 'phantom' shark.
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Rare footage of ‘phantom’ sharks, formally known as porbeagle, shows a group swimming off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts
The porbeagle shark is named for its 'porpoise' shape and for its 'beagle'-like hunting prowess, this little-known deep-water predator is often mistaken for its close relatives, the Great White and Mako sharks.
The breed of shark is not normally harmful to humans, although they can cause serious injury - but no deaths have ever been recorded.
And it can grow up to 12 feet long and weigh up to 600 pounds.
'There are very few photos or film footage of free-swimming porbeagle sharks anywhere in the world,' Joe said in a statement.
These sharks are rarely seen because they prefer deep, cold water, but a husband and wife duo were able to capture these one of a kind images
The team spent hours in the North Atlantic waiting for a chance to see a porbeagle, which appeared before the sun came up
'We were out at night on our research vessel to capture