‘This Could Be The Rarest Animal In The World’

Credit: Peter Ward/University of WashingtonA rare Allonautilus scrobiculatus 

Truly a mystery of the deep, this living fossil hasn’t been seen by scientists in more than three decades. Until now.

Peter WardAllonautilus scrobiculatus? ?in 1984 alongside his colleague Bruce Saunders. The hairy animal looked fairly similar to the better known Nautilus pompilius, 

But earlier this month, Ward ventured to Papua New Guinea to hunt for the cephalopod again. Aside from the creature’s evasiveness, the scientist said, the schematics of the research were complicated: long days, the threat of malaria and temperatures “so hot it was almost impossible to think.”

Ward’s crew had to jump between several locations where locals were certain Allonautilus

Until finally, there it was, swimming alongside a cousin in all its slimy glory.

Credit: Peter Ward/University of WashingtonNautilus pompiliusAllonautilus scrobiculatus

The find is a substantial addition in the field of biological diversity. Nautilus pompilius, 

“This is kind of like a holy grail, at least in what I do,” Ward told The Huffington Post. “It takes a lot of push to put anything in a wholly new and different genus … [and] this is one of the newest animals on the planet.”

Sadly, their elusiveness is tied to growing threats also linked to the collapse of various fisheries around the globe. Nautiluses are highly sought for their striking shells

Ward said researchers are preparing to propose the U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAllonautilus 

“This could be the rarest animal in the world,” Ward toldAllonautilus Peter Ward/University of Washington