Facts about Megamouth Sharks
The megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios is a species of deepwater shark. It is an extremely rare and unusual species. The megamouth shark was discovered in 1976. Reproduction of a megamouth is ovoviviparous, whereby the animals develop in eggs that remain within the mother's body until they hatch. Only a few megamouth shark have ever been seen, with 39 specimens known to have been caught or sighted as of 2007 and three recordings on film. The megamouth shark is distinctive for its large head with rubbery lips. Megamouths are very large sharks, able to grow to 5.5 m (18 ft) in length. Males mature by 4 m (13 ft) and females by 5 m (16 ft). The interior of its gill slits are lined with finger-like gill rakers that capture its food. Like the basking shark and whale shark, it is a filter feeder, and swims with its enormous mouth wide open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. The megamouth shark has an asymmetrical tail with a long upper lobe, similar to the thresher shark. The megamouth has a soft, flabby body and lacks keels. The megamouth has a generally brownish-blackish color on top and white underneath. The megamouth shark is a relatively poor swimmer. The first megamouth was captured on November 15, 1976 about 25 miles off the coast from Kaneohe, Hawaii when it became entangled in the sea anchor of a United States Navy ship. They can attain weights of up to 1,215 kg (2,679 lb) have been reported. Megamouth has luminous organs called photophores around its mouth. It is believed they may exist to lure plankton or small fish into its mouth. Megamouth has a large mouth with small teeth, and a broad, rounded snout, causing observers to occasionally mistake megamouth for a young orca. |
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