Goblin shark
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Mitsukurina
Genus: Mitsukurina
Species: Owstoni
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Mitsukurina
Genus: Mitsukurina
Species: Owstoni
Morphology
This shark's snout is very unusual. The Goblin's snout is long, flat, and very pointed. The sharks snout contains electrosensory canals which helps the shark find its prey. Living in the deep-sea where there is no light this shark has very small eyes, and to hunt the Goblin Shark relies on the the electro-sensitive organs in the rostrum.
where are goblin sharks found?
The Goblin shark has only been seen a few times and very little is known about it. What is known is that it is a slow moving deep sea shark that lives at depths of 1200m/4000ft in seas around the world. Goblin sharks have been found in the western Indian Ocean, western Pacific Ocean and most of the Atlantic. They are most commonly found in the waters around Japan, in an area between Tosa Bay and Bosa Peninsula, where they were first discovered by modern science.
Why is the goblin shark important?
The goblin shark has played the role of deep sea predator for millions of years. As a predator, it keeps the balance of the deep-sea ecosystem.
biology
Goblin sharks are bizarre looking creatures. They can grow to a length over 3.8 m, they have a soft, flabby body, pinkish-gray color, and a blade-like snout overhanging. The jaws are used to quickly snap up small prey. The goblin shark has long, sharp teeth in the front of its jaws used to capture prey. Their teeth in the back of their mouth are smaller and used to crush prey. They have tiny black eyes that are missing nictitating eyelids. The anal fin of this species is large and rounded.
fun facts!
- The Goblin shark has only been seen about 50 times since it's discovery in 1897!
- They feel comfortable living in the very deep parts of the water close to the floor of the ocean. They don’t like to be exposed to the sunlight so they are sometimes referred to as vampire sharks. The numbers of them aren’t even able to be estimated due to the lack of sightings of them.
- They have a very unique way of attacking their prey. When they approach it their jaw goes out similar to how a human can stick out its tongue. Then with a sucking motion they draw they prey into their mouth where very powerful teeth are waiting to consume it.
- They are a very pale gray color with a pinkish white belly. That pink is due to the skin being so transparent you can actually see the blood vessels inside. The nose is pointed and for some species they appear to have a sword at the tip of it. This can be a very effective tool used for hunting prey and protecting itself.
- The have been observed living along the coast of Japan, the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean. However, they have been found in last 10 years in locations that seem quite strange. Generally though this is after some type of natural disaster such as a hurricane. It is believed it is the result of it chasing after food that has moved.
vocabulary
Rostrum- The snout, or nose of the shark.
Ovoviviparous- Their eggs mature and hatch inside the mother's body and the shark gives birth to live young.
Extinction- The process of ceasing to exist.
Harvesting- To catch or kill animals for human consumption.
Buoyancy- The ability to float in a liquid, such as water.
Ovoviviparous- Their eggs mature and hatch inside the mother's body and the shark gives birth to live young.
Extinction- The process of ceasing to exist.
Harvesting- To catch or kill animals for human consumption.
Buoyancy- The ability to float in a liquid, such as water.
Resources
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Mitsukurina-owstoni.html
http://somethingseemsfishy.weebly.com/goblin-shark.html
http://www.greengoblin.com/internal/corner/shark.html
http://somethingseemsfishy.weebly.com/goblin-shark.html
http://www.greengoblin.com/internal/corner/shark.html