Rare orange shark with ghostly white eyes captured in first-of-its-kind sighting

A rare orange nurse shark with ghostly white eyes was captured during a sport fishing trip in Costa Rica. The six-and-a-half-foot shark displayed xanthism, a pigmentation condition causing an excess of yellow or golden tones. This anomaly has not been documented in cartilaginous fish like sharks in the Caribbean before. In addition to xanthism, the shark exhibited albinism, which caused its striking white eyes.

Researchers note, "The discovery of a yellow nurse shark raises important questions about the genetics and adaptability of nurse sharks." The shark's survival into adulthood challenges assumptions about the impact of these conditions on survival.