Sharks have been on
the planet longer than trees and have had time to evolve in many unique ways,
from living in the deep sea to walking on the surface. Also, as you probably
know, only 5 percent of the whole ocean has been explored, meaning that there's
probably still a lot of new species to be discovered. So here's a list of the
most bizarre and cool adaptations sharks have developed over the years.
Goblin
Shark
Goblin sharks are a
rare species of deep-sea shark, living in depths greater than 100m (330ft), and
it’s believed they can dive to depths of up to 1,300 m (4,270 ft), but only for
short periods of time. They usually reach between 3 and 4 m (10 and 13 ft), but
can grow up to 6 m (20 ft). They’re often called “living fossils” because they
are the last representative of a family that’s 125 million years old
(Mitsukurinidae). They are found close to the shores of all continents except
Antarctica and are thought to live on the sea floor, eating fish by extending
their jaws to the tips of their noses.
Goblin Shark (photo by Ocean Conservancy)
Epaulette shark
These sharks have
evolved a unique pair of fins that helps them get out of the water at night and
enter tidal pools, where invertebrates and fish are stuck due to the tides
going back and feasting on them. In fact, they don’t do this only on the
surface; they usually don’t swim but rather "walk". Epaulette sharks
live in shallow tropical waters between Australia and New Guinea and are a
small species, usually under 1 m (3.3 ft).
Epaulette Shark (photo by Usa Today)
Cookiecutter shark
Despite its funny
name and relatively small build of 42–56 cm (16.5–22 in), this shark is no
joke. Its name comes from the way it eats: it attaches itself to the prey and
starts spinning itself until a cookie-shaped part of the flesh of the prey
isn’t removed. They inhabit record-deep oceanic waters worldwide, with depths
reaching up to 3.7 km (2.3 mi), and migrate vertically every day to around 3 km
(1.9 mi).
Cookiecutter Shark (photo by Shark Guardian)
Viper dogfish
Viper sharks, just
like the cookiecutter shark, migrate vertically, shifting between 270–360 m
(890–1,180 ft) deep during the day and less than 150 m (490 ft) deep at night.
Due to their living in the darkest places on Earth, these sharks evolved to be
able to make their bottom parts glow so that they could navigate through
deep-sea waters. They can eat a fish half their size and are found in the
Pacific Ocean off southern Japan and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. They
aren’t very large and reach 54 cm (21 in) in length.
Viper Dogfish (photo by Sharkwater Extinction)
Frilled shark
Also known as the lizard shark, similarly to the goblin shark, it is often called a living fossil due to its primitive physical traits and a 2 m (6.6 ft) long body. They live in regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at depths of 1,570 m (5,150 ft), although they are usually seen around 1,200 m (3,900 ft), while in Suruga Bay, Japan, they can commonly be seen at depths of 50–200 m (160–660 ft). These unique sharks have a snake-like body and unique teeth that can reach over 300 at any given time. They get their name from the frilled lining of the gills, which goes all the way over the throat.
Frilled Shark (photo by WiseOceans)
Largetooth sawfish
Found in shallow
waters, they inhabit depths of 25 m (82 ft), but usually less than 10 m (33
ft). They are nocturnal and eat during the night, while during the day they
rest. Different from all sharks on the list so far, this is the only threatened
species, meaning that their population is small and declining due to habitat
loss and bycatch mortality. They are found worldwide in tropical and
subtropical coastal regions, but they also enter freshwater and reach up to 7 m
(23 ft).
Largetooth Sawfish (photo by Wikipedia)
So that was it! –Now you know more about Sharks! I hope you learned a lot regarding the spectacular wildlife on our planet with The Wildlife Echo!
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