A previously unknown species of walking shark has been formally identified in the waters of Milne Bay. The discovery brings the total number of known walking shark species to ten.
Researchers named the shark Hemiscyllium dudgeonae after Christine Dudgeon of the University of the Sunshine Coast, who first encountered a specimen in March 2025. She spotted the nearly three-quarters-of-a-metre-long fish while searching for another species in shallow seagrass meadows.
Local residents have long observed the sharks crossing reef flats at low tide and refer to them as kadedekedewa. DNA analysis later confirmed the shark's genetic distinctiveness from other members of the genus.
The species appears restricted to Milne Bay and faces significant risks from coastal development and coral bleaching. Scientists warn that urgent conservation measures are needed to prevent local extinction.