Deep sea 'alien' identified as Megamouth shark is reefed from a Japanese ocean and cut open in front of crowd
If this isn't the world's most intimidating looking sea creature, then we are yet to see what is.
Hauled from a depth of close to 800m below sea, this Megamouth shark was given a very public reception recently when it was shown to more than 1,500 onlookers in the Japanese city of Shizuoka.
A crowd of happy-snapping Japanese spectators witnessed the four-metre monster undergo a public autopsy when it was cut open outside the city's Marine Science Museum recently.
It was a chance to give scientists a greater understanding of the biology of the shark, which even marine biology experts know very little about.
However - despite the mysteries of its anatomy, there is certainly no denying its size and grotesque appearance.
It is believed the Megamouth shark can can reach a maximum length of five metres. The animal spends most of its life swimming at great depths only rising to the surface at night to feed.
And there are certainly no prizes for guessing how this marvel of the sea got it's name with a mouth like this one's.
According to a website on the animal's biology, its chief prey is shrimp-like krill. It also feeds on planktonic animals, including euphausiid shrimps, copepods, and the Pancake Jellyfish.
It devours its prey by filtering the small fish through the inner lining of its gills.
This sighting - the 58th ever - is the 13th time that a Meagmouth has been caught in Japan.
The first was caught at a depth of 165m off the coast of Hawaii, when its teeth became caught in the anchor of a large research vessel, according to the The Museum of Western Australia.
The museum even houses a specimen of its own, which was found washed up on the coast of Western Australia back in August 1988.
There are several other sharks which have been found washed ashore either dead or dying, and around one quarter of the 58 sighted were caught by fishermen for human consumption.
In a recent tribute to the Megashark, The Discovery Channel even gave prominence to the animal during one of its acclaimed Shark Week features, calling it an 'alien shark.'
Source : DailyMail , JapanDailyPress
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Hauled from a depth of close to 800m below sea, this Megamouth shark was given a very public reception recently when it was shown to more than 1,500 onlookers in the Japanese city of Shizuoka.
A crowd of happy-snapping Japanese spectators witnessed the four-metre monster undergo a public autopsy when it was cut open outside the city's Marine Science Museum recently.
It was a chance to give scientists a greater understanding of the biology of the shark, which even marine biology experts know very little about.
However - despite the mysteries of its anatomy, there is certainly no denying its size and grotesque appearance.
It is believed the Megamouth shark can can reach a maximum length of five metres. The animal spends most of its life swimming at great depths only rising to the surface at night to feed.
And there are certainly no prizes for guessing how this marvel of the sea got it's name with a mouth like this one's.
According to a website on the animal's biology, its chief prey is shrimp-like krill. It also feeds on planktonic animals, including euphausiid shrimps, copepods, and the Pancake Jellyfish.
It devours its prey by filtering the small fish through the inner lining of its gills.
This sighting - the 58th ever - is the 13th time that a Meagmouth has been caught in Japan.
The first was caught at a depth of 165m off the coast of Hawaii, when its teeth became caught in the anchor of a large research vessel, according to the The Museum of Western Australia.
The museum even houses a specimen of its own, which was found washed up on the coast of Western Australia back in August 1988.
There are several other sharks which have been found washed ashore either dead or dying, and around one quarter of the 58 sighted were caught by fishermen for human consumption.
In a recent tribute to the Megashark, The Discovery Channel even gave prominence to the animal during one of its acclaimed Shark Week features, calling it an 'alien shark.'
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