Goblin shark
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Mitsukurina owstoni |
The goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni is a rarely seen species of shark. It is notable for its long beak projecting forward of the jaws, the ability of its jaws to protrude greatly, and for its pink color. The goblin shark is the sole living member of the family Mitsukurinidae; the relatively plentiful fossil record includes another two dozen or so species.
The front teeth are long and smooth-edged, while the rear teeth are adapted for crushing. Goblin sharks feed on jacopever, octopi and crabs, most likely by sensing the presence of prey with organs in the beak, suddenly protruding the jaws, creating a sucking motion with a tongue-like muscle, and using the teeth to hold onto the victim.
The pink coloration, unique among sharks, is due to blood vessels underneath a semi-transparent skin. The fins have a bluish appearance. As with thresher sharks and other lamniforms, the upper lobe of the tail is much longer than the lower lobe.
Only about 45 specimens have been described in the scientific literature. Half have been found off Japan, including the first one described (Jordan, 1898). The largest seen so far was 385 cm (12.6 ft) in length.