Overview

• The Marine Biodiversity paper describes an approximately 2-meter nurse shark off Tortuguero, Costa Rica, with yellow‑orange skin and white eyes.
• The shark was encountered at 37 meters on a sport‑fishing trip, photographed, measured, and released alive.
• Authors report the first recorded xanthism in this species and the first such record for cartilaginous fish in the Caribbean.
• White, iris‑less eyes lead researchers to suggest albino‑xanthochromism rather than xanthism alone.
• The study notes the individual reached adult size and urges genetic and environmental research into potential drivers such as mutation, diet, or stressors.