A nighttime research dive at La Jolla Cove turned into a once-in-a-career moment when a Scripps Institution of Oceanography graduate student came face-to-face with a rare prickly shark. The diver estimated the animal to be at least seven feet long and later called the encounter the most amazing experience she's had. Video from the dive highlights the shark's thornlike skin and the two small dorsal fins that make it stand out from the cove's more familiar shark visitors.
In a Facebook reel posted by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, graduate student Cali Lingle, described in the post as an anchovy bioenergetics researcher, recalls initially mistaking the animal for a sevengill before noticing the prickly denticles and the more rearward placement of its fins. The reel credits Liam Dougherty for the video and shows Lingle pointing out the two dorsal fins while putting the shark's length at roughly seven feet. The Scripps directory confirms that Lingle is a marine biology graduate student and helps frame the sighting as part of ongoing research work.
Deepwater Visitor In Shallow Bay
The prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei) is usually a deepwater, bottom-dwelling species, known for its thornlike dermal denticles and two small dorsal fins that sit far back on the body. According to FishBase, prickly sharks are nocturnally active and sometimes show up in relatively shallow inshore waters at night, even though they are most often found hundreds of meters below the surface. Reporting on recent expeditions from the Smithsonian notes that nearshore encounters with this species remain rare and scientifically valuable.
La Jolla Cove already has a reputation as a busy shark area. Broadnose sevengill sharks regularly weave through the kelp and reefs there, especially at night, which goes a long way toward explaining why Lingle first thought she was looking at a sevengill. Local coverage and dive accounts, including a detailed look from the San Diego Reader, document sevengill activity in the cove and nearby kelp forests during spring and summer. In a place where divers are used to seeing big sharks, a prickly shark is a headline-level curveball.
