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Weirdass Animals: The Goblin Shark looks like a thing of nightmares

Weirdass Animals: The Goblin Shark looks like a thing of nightmares

The Goblin shark is pretty freaky looking, that’s for sure. But is it’s bark worse than it’s bite? We delve into the depth of the ocean to find out.

The goblin shark is a very rare species of deep-sea shark. It has some amazing abilities, including a nose that can sniff out electric current like a metal detector and a jaw that looks like a bear-trap meets jack in the box. It has to be seen to be believed!

Sometimes referred to as a “living fossil” (could be why it looks so grumpy all the time), it is the only living representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. So, dinosaur old…

The Snout

This pink-skinned animal is distinctive due to the elongated, flattened snout. The flat shape of the snout allows the shark to hover it over the seabed, in a similar way to a metal detector. The snout is peppered with sensors that can detect even the smallest flow of electric current – and all creatures have some electric current, and the Goblin Shark can detect as little as 1/10 millionth of a volt. So there really is nowhere to hide.

 

The Jaws

The highly protrusible jaws are filled with, thin, nail-like teeth. The jaws are usually flush with the snout and body of the shark, but they can protude out from the body in an unusual, alien-like way.

via GIPHY

The Goblin shark can usually grow to between 3 and 4 m (10 and 13 ft) long when mature, though it can grow considerably larger. Goblin sharks inhabit upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts throughout the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles.

I think you’ll agree, the Goblin shark is truly a weirdass animal. Don’t get caught deep-sea diving in the dark kids.

About The Author

Luke B

Luke B started life on his day of birth, strangely. He enjoys artistic and creative pursuits such as painting, drawing, sculpture, music, 3D graphics, video games and everything else. He builds websites as his day-job and builds personal ones in his spare time. He also likes Lego.

1 Comment

  1. Linda

    Oh my god! This will give me nightmares! I’m never going in the sea again

    Reply

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