  It is commonly accepted that a merger of two spiral galaxies results in a
remnant with an elliptical-like surface-brightness profile. Surprisingly, our
recent study (Chitre & Jog 2002) of the 2MASS data for twenty-seven advanced
mergers of galaxies has shown that half of these have a light distribution that
decreases exponentially with radius. Such a distribution normally characterizes
a rotationally supported disk in a spiral galaxy. Here we show from kinematic
data for two of these mergers, Arp 224 and Arp 214, that the main support
against gravitational collapse comes from pressure due to random motion of
stars as seen in an elliptical galaxy rather than from rotation. The origin of
the unusual combination of properties seen here is a puzzle. The standard
theoretical N-body models in the literature cannot account for these systems.
Further observational and dynamical studies of this new class of merger
remnants are needed, and would be important for understanding merger dynamics
and galaxy evolution.
