‘Large’-headed sea creature with tiny teeth caught in Iran. It’s a new species
Off the southern coast of Iran, fishermen hauled in their catch and started sifting through it. A “large”-headed sea creature with “very small teeth” drew their attention — and for good reason.
It turned out to be a new species.
A team of scientists visited the coastal province of Bushehr, which borders the northern Persian Gulf, in 2021 to conduct “fishery surveys,” according to a study published Oct. 9 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.
While there, researchers worked with “local fishermen” to collect dozens of unfamiliar-looking fish, the study said. Intrigued, they examined the animals in detail, analyzed their DNA and realized they’d discovered a new species: Sillago persica, or the Persian Gulf sand whiting.
Persian Gulf sand whitings have “elongate” bodies, reaching about 7 inches in length, researchers said. Their heads are “large,” their snouts are “long” and their “small” mouths have “a series of very small teeth.”
A photo shows the “bright brown” and slightly “silver” coloring of the new species.
Much about the lifestyle, behavior and preferred habitat of Persian Gulf sand whitings remains unknown.
In general, sand whitings, also known as sand borers, are “small to medium-sized” marine fish that live near the seafloor and “are of considerable commercial and recreational importance throughout their range,” the study said.
Researchers said they named the new species after the Persian Gulf where it was first discovered and, so far, the only area where it has been found. The Persian Gulf borders Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The new species was identified by its DNA, coloring, internal anatomy, skeleton, scale pattern, body proportions and other subtle physical features, the study said.
The research team included Hashem Khandan Barani, Mohammad Sadegh Alavi-Yeganeh and Mehdi Ghanbarifardi.
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 8:08 AM with the headline "‘Large’-headed sea creature with tiny teeth caught in Iran. It’s a new species."
