Prehistoric Frilled Shark from Japan
May 8, 2008 4:30 pm AnimalsA very rare prehistoric shark was found by Japanese fisherman and brought to the Awashima Marine Park last year. Below is the film clip from Awashima Marine Park showing the shark swimming in the tank. This species of shark is supposed to date back millions of years.
The frilled shark looks very much like an eel and has 300 trident-shaped teeth in multiple rows in a very wide mouth. This shark also does not have the shark fin on its back that we always associate with sharks. Even without the usual menacing “Jaws” fin, this shark looks very terrifying.
This frilled shark measured 5.3 feet-long and weighed 16.5 pounds. Not as large as it seems to look in the video.
Frilled sharks normally live in very deep water - between 400 and 4,200 feet and rarely come to the surface. They have been seen near the coast of Japan before, especially during the winter time when the water temperature drops and they have to get to warmer areas to feed.
Frilled sharks can grow to a length of nearly 6.5 feet and eat deep-sea squids and other soft-bodied preys.
About the video..
The staff of a Japanese aquarium took pictures of a rare frilled shark on Sunday, after it was discovered by local residents at Awashima Port in Shizuoka, southwest of Tokyo.
This prehistoric shark is rarely seen alive as its natural habitat lies up to 1,280 metres (4,200 feet) deep under the sea.
Experts at the Awashima Marine Park were able to examine the creature, which was a female, and film it swimming around.
Unfortunately though it died a couple of hours after it was moved to its new environment.
Most specimen are found in the Japanese waters.
