Creature Feature: 10/15 Revealed

image from discovery.com

Another spooky Halloween costume idea comes from a poorly understood species of the deep, known as the goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni). Goblin sharks have been caught around the world at depths of over 4300ft.  The body is flabby and slim, covered in semi-translucent dermal denticles (“skin teeth,” a kind of scales unique to sharks and their relatives). The most distinctive part of this fascinating creature is its snout, which is flattened and elongated. Their teeth are held against the underside of the head until they are ready to feed. Once ready to catch its prey the jaws protrude with a quick snap and then settle back into place. Goblin sharks range in size from 10-13ft but recently, a female was captured that was over 20 feet long!

 

Goblin Shark Video