by Stefani Andrews

Created on: August 20, 2008

The Goblin Shark, or Mitsukurina owstoni, is one of the most unusual creatures known to man. It was first discovered in 1898 in the waters near Yokohama, Japan. It is commonly thought to be a rare shark species as only 45 specimens have ever been caught of captured, half of the in Japanese waters. Although with more modern technology and means of communication, its true numbers may be discovered over the next several decades.

The goblin shark has an elongated and flat snout, similar to that of other sawfish and saw sharks. This blade like snout overhangs a protruding jaw. Its teeth are very slender and fang-like, indicating that is most likely feeds on small fast-moving fish or squid. The piercing nature of the teeth seems to indicate that a need to catch and hold onto something quickly. Its color in life is almost a bubblegum pink, with grey or purple undertones. They also have nearly peacock-blue portions of their fins. Until 1976 its color was thought to be the dull brownish-grey of the dead specimens that has been caught or washed ashore. It was not until ichthyologists Teruya Uyeno, Kazue Nakamura, and Susumu Mikami published a paper that included photographs of a live specimen and revealed its surprising pink coloration. This color is not due to pigmentation of the skin however, it is caused by an abnormally high number of blood filled capillaries underneath the shark's nearly translucent skin.

Their length at birth is unknown, as they have not been observed in their natural surroundings before. The smallest specimen ever recorded was 42 inches (107cm) long, and the largest specimen was a 12.6 foot (3.8 m) long male. Average length is 5 feet (1.6m), although females may be larger on average than the males of the species.

Goblin sharks are almost certainly ovoviviparous is reproduction. Although this cannot be confirmed as no pregnant females have ever been captured. But as other lamnoids are ovoviviparous in nature, it is reasonable to assume the goblin shark is as well. This means that eggs are laid and hatched within the mother's body. The young are then nourished by an egg yolk until the mother gives birth.

All things considered this is an animal that has surprised and stunned scientists since it was first discovered, and will probably continue to do just that. Its appearance is one of the most strange in the entire animal world, and certainly the most strange in the shark kingdom. With any luck, further study will be conducted on this fascinating creature so its unusual attributes can be further understood.

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