This archive report was first published on 29 October 2019.
On October 29, 2019, a remarkable discovery was made by Japanese researchers in the mouth of a whale shark. A new species of shrimp-like creature, known as podocerus jinbe, was found living in this unexpected environment.
The podocerus jinbe is a type of gammaridea, a species known for their hardy ability to live in diverse environments, from high mountains to the deep sea. According to lead researcher Ko Tomikawa, an associate professor at Hiroshima University, the discovery was a surprise.
"This creature, which is usually 3-5 centimeters long, is amazing because they can live in so many different kinds of environment," Tomikawa said. "But I didn't expect we would find one inside the mouth of a whale shark."
The podocerus jinbe has a brown-colored body of about five millimeters long and hairy legs, which help catch organic substances for food. Whale sharks are known as jinbe zame in Japanese, inspiring the newly discovered residents' name.
Tomikawa explained that the mouth of the whale shark is a good habitat for the podocerus jinbe due to the regular flow of fresh seawater, which is necessary for them to breathe, and the abundance of food.
