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Rare primitive shark captured on film
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:03 pm
by Chris Luva Luva
A species of shark rarely seen alive because its natural habitat is 600 metres (2,000 ft) or more under the sea was captured on film by staff at a Japanese marine park this week.
The Awashima Marine Park in Shizuoka, south of Tokyo, was alerted by a fisherman at a nearby port on Sunday that he had spotted an odd-looking eel-like creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth.
Marine park staff caught the 1.6 metre (5 ft) long creature, which they identified as a female frilled shark, sometimes referred to as a "living fossil" because it is a primitive species that has changed little since prehistoric times.
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The shark appeared to be in poor condition when park staff moved it to a seawater pool where they filmed it swimming and opening its jaws.
"We believe moving pictures of a live specimen are extremely rare," said an official at the park. "They live between 600 and 1,000 metres under the water, which is deeper than humans can go."
"We think it may have come close to the surface because it was sick, or else it was weakened because it was in shallow waters," the official said.
The shark died a few hours after being caught. Frilled sharks, which feed on other sharks and sea creatures, are sometimes caught in the nets of trawlers but are rarely seen alive.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...in_page_id=1965
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:33 pm
by REDEEMEDSKIN
A shark that feasts on other sharks????!!!!
Move over, JAWS!!!
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:46 pm
by JansenFan
Maybe they are seldom seen because when we do see one, we put it in a tank and watch it die.
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:30 pm
by UK Skins Fan
Seldom seen? Well, if I had a face like that, I don't think I'd go out much.
Wait a minute, I don't go out much.
Where's that mirror gone...
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:42 pm
by redskindave
That is so awesome, I hope there are more of them out there, Very rare
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:59 pm
by brad7686
That shark bears a striking resemblance to a certain male body part.
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:44 am
by SkinsFreak
The Today Show did a story on this shark this morning with some live footage. Damn that thing is ugly.
Scientist have said that they know more about the universe and the cosmos than they do about our own oceans.
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:23 am
by TincoSkin
JansenFan wrote:Maybe they are seldom seen because when we do see one, we put it in a tank and watch it die.
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:54 pm
by nuskins
I think I have seen one of those in the Potomac..... or it coulda been just another genetically mutated catfish, there are plenty of those swimming among the feces in that cesspool of a river.
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:15 am
by HEROHAMO
A Great White will still eat this sucker up. But wow that thing looks like it lived during the dinosaur ages.
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:47 pm
by brad7686
Am I the only one that thinks it looks like an upside down weiner?
Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 5:29 am
by tcwest10
brad7686 wrote:Am I the only one that thinks it looks like an upside down weiner?
Brad...let it go, man. Let it go.
