ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts ðə fˈɜːst spˈɛsɪmən dɪskˈʌvɚd wʌz ɪn ˈɔːɡəst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt baɪ mˈɛmbɚz ʌvðə vɜːdʒˈɪniə ˈɪnstɪtˌuːt ʌv mɚɹˈiːn sˈaɪəns vˈɪmz tɹˈɔːl sˈɜːveɪ ɡɹˈuːp ɪn hˈæmptən ɹˈoʊdz, vɜːdʒˈɪniə.
In the United States the first specimen discovered was in August 1998 by members of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Trawl Survey Group in Hampton Roads, Virginia.