Goblin Shark

Goblin shark, scientifically known as Mitsukurina owstoni, is a wacky creature of deep blue sea. Having a soft and flabby body with blade-shaped long snout makes this creature set apart from the rest. It has fang-type teeth with extensively sharp jaws. The most striking part of their body is the unusual shape of their head. It may grow up to 3.8 m in length. Although this creature is weirdly big in size, it is not typically considered as harmful to humans. These sharks are mostly found at 1200m down the sea surface level. Typically they stay close to sea bottom and mostly traced throughout the areas of Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

A rare goblin shark found in japan

In general, goblin sharks are considered as rare animals. Only less than 45 goblin sharks have been yet documented in scientific journals. However, their population rate is decreasing quite significantly. They are mostly found in the waters of Japan. They generally feed on crab, squid and deep-sea fishes. Although yet scientists have not discovered much about the life cycle or reproductive behavior of goblin shark, this creature, as it is seen, does not have any potential risk for humans.

Behavior

During their hunting, goblin sharks sense the presence of their prey with the help of electro-sensitive bodily organs present in the rostrum. They use their electro-sensitive part of their body since they live at the deep sea, where sunlight can never reach. Once they approach to their prey, they obtrude their jaws all of a sudden, at the same time, and they use a tongue-shaped muscle in order to grab the prey into their sharp teeth.

Goblin sharks feed on a variety of prey including the blackbelly rosefish

Reproduction

Unfortunately, modern scientists have not yet known much about the reproductive habits of goblin shark. Since, the scientists still became unable to catch any goblin shark at the time of pregnancy. However, considering members from other orders and families, scientists hypothesize that goblin sharks are ovoviviparous. Eggs become mature inside the mother’s body, following which the mother goblin shark gives birth to young sharks.

Significance

Goblin shark has some unusual characteristics compared to other contemporary sharks. First of all, scientists assume that goblin shark is one of the oldest creatures on the face of earth. It is believed that goblin is surviving from the prehistoric period. One peculiar but interesting fact about goblin shark is that the size of the liver of this shark is usually bigger compared to other sharks. However, scientists could not yet find out the possible explanation behind this unusual big size of the liver. Since till date scientists have failed to collect sufficient data of this creature, this is why no one can specify the exact population of this creature.

The Goblin shark’s jaw

Apart from that, their social groups and group structure and grouping pattern are still unknown. Similar to this, the life span of goblin shark is not yet identified. Right at present, scientists from all over the world, especially in the region of Japan and Australia, are engaged to explore the mystery of this unusual goblin shark.