The researchers used a combination of DNA analysis and physical characteristics to identify the new species from seven specimens found stranded in Sri Lanka, the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati), Palmyra Atoll in the Northern Line Islands near Hawai'i, the Maldives, and the Seychelles.

The first specimen was a female found washed up on a Sri Lankan beach more than 50 years ago. At the time the National Museums of Ceylon, P.E.P (Paulus) Deraniyagala, described it as a new species, and named it Mesoplodon hotaula, after the local Singhala words for 'pointed beak'.

This coveted award is widely recognised as the oldest and most prestigious in the diving industry. The NOGI has been awarded on an annual basis since 1960 to a select group of divers and undersea visionaries who rank at the top of their fields in arts, science, sports / education, environment, and distinguished service. In 1993 the AUAS was created to administer the NOGI award.

The primary method of age estimation in fishes relies on counting growth increments in mineralized tissues, including otoliths, vertebrae, and fin rays.

Previously, researchers assumed that each stripe corresponded to annual growth, which isn't necessarily true throughout a shark's life. And because these bands can vary in width and colouration, it can be difficult to distinguish them.

The team analyzed the radiocarbon from the vertebrae of four female and four male great white sharks that were captured in the Atlantic Ocean from 1967 to 2010.