Unearthing of Vivid Orange Shark near Costa Rica’s Shore Amazes Researchers

Genetics are astonishing. They can make a [manta ray pink](https://mymodernmet.com/pink-manta-ray-kristian-laine/) and a [peacock white](https://mymodernmet.com/white-peacock/). Moreover, they can also change a shark into a large goldfish. In the summer of 2024, a remarkable nurse shark was found while sport fishing in Costa Rica. Its orange-golden color astonished both participants and researchers. Now, a recent study published in *[Marine Biodiversity](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12526-025-01558-5)* is illuminating the genetic developments behind this extraordinary shark.

The study’s authors link the rare color to *xanthism* (or *xanthochromism*), a modification of the animal’s pigmentation. A deficiency of darker pigments results in yellow coloration for an animal with xanthism, which is typically observed in frogs and snakes. In marine species, it’s notably uncommon, and the authors claim it has not been documented previously in this particular species. Interestingly, this isn’t the only distinct genetic characteristic of this nurse shark. A detailed examination of the image reveals its white eyes, indicative of *albinism*.

The combination of genetic mutations is unprecedented in sharks, making it a genuinely unique specimen. Scientists were especially intrigued by the fact that the 6-foot-long nurse shark is an adult and appears quite healthy. This is particularly noteworthy since an animal’s coloration significantly impacts its survival in the wild. In this instance, the vibrantly colored shark seems to be flourishing despite its inability to blend in.

“As far as the shark is concerned, it probably has no idea that it’s yellow. And this one appeared to be a healthy, probably newly mature adult,” Nick Whitney, a senior scientist for the New England Aquarium who specializes in nurse sharks, informed [NPR](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/27/nx-s1-5518004/scientists-have-documented-a-new-shark-with-a-vibrant-color). “In its early years, being yellow like that might have made it more noticeable, but it seems to have managed that just fine.”

## Researchers were astonished that this bright orange nurse shark has thrived despite its unique coloration.

#### *Source:* *[Scientists have documented a new shark, with a vibrant color](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/27/nx-s1-5518004/scientists-have-documented-a-new-shark-with-a-vibrant-color); [First record case of free-living xanthism in the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum (Bonnaterre, 1788) from Caribbean Sea](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12526-025-01558-5)*

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