(photo: wrangel)
Scientists have discovered four new shark species with a very unique talent: They can walk.
According to research published this week in the journal Marine and Freshwater Research, the walking (or "epaulette") sharks evolved roughly nine million years ago from other sharks--although one species may have evolved only two million years ago--and spend their days motoring around on their fins, looking for fish in sea grass and reefs.
"The discovery proves that modern sharks have remarkable evolutionary staying power and the ability to adapt to environmental changes," said Mark Erdmann, the paper's co-author. The creatures are located in eastern Indonesia and nearby islands, as well as New Guinea and parts of Australia.
Luckily they can't walk out of the water!