That shark makes for an impressive sight, and also highlights the impact of pollution on these biodiverse reefs. “For a long time, people assumed that mesophotic reefs were a refuge,” Rocha says. “But every time we go there we find new species (showing how unique they are) and signs of human presence…If you look at the shark video linked in the paper you will see that the shark has a fishing line attached to its mouth!”

Earlier this year, a research team that included Pinheiro and Rocha wrote a paper on the impacts of climate change and humans on mesophotic reefs.

The researchers are optimistic, though, that more new species of Tosanoides might be discovered elsewhere, including in the Indian Ocean and off the African coast. An ocean teeming with little hot pink dudes and their orange fish dudettes sounds like one worth preserving.

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