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Life Cycle

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Mitsukurina owstoni develop directly from birth, and are probably ecologically similiar to free-swimming adults when they emerge from the mother. It is not known at what age they become sexually mature, but are immature to about 2.3 m.

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Morphology

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Mitsukurina owstoni is a fearsome looking fish with a large, flattened snout protruding from the top of its head, and has movable jaws than can extend to catch prey. The exact purpose of the flat snout is unknown, but as it is not hard or sharp enough to pin or kill prey, it is probably used to detect the faint electric signals that other fish give off. Goblin sharks have rubbery skin, rather than denticles (the sharp, pointed scales found on most sharks). Due to the blood vessels that are close to the skin, the shark has a pinkish-grey color in life, though in death it appears quite colorless because of its lack of pigment. Teeth are slender and fang-like, similar to those of the sand tiger shark. Another feature that separates goblin sharks from most other sharks is the lack of a lower lobe on the tail fin, which is also absent in other benthic sharks. Female specimens seem to be slightly larger than the males.

Range length: 107 to 380 cm.

Average length: 160 cm.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
editor
Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Life Expectancy

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No goblin sharks have been studied in the wild, so not much is known about their ages or lifespans. No individuals have ever been held in captivity.

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
editor
Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Habitat

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Goblin sharks seem to live in the mid and deep-water zones of outer continental shelves and slopes.

Range depth: 40 to 1200 m.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; saltwater or marine

Aquatic Biomes: pelagic ; benthic

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
editor
Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Distribution

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Originally caught in Japan, the range is wide, but not evenly distributed. The majority of known specimens come from bays of Japan while the rest are mostly found off New Zealand, southern Africa, and in the Eastern Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Two specimens have been taken off the Mississippi and California coasts of the United States. Though this probably encompasses the range of Mitsukurina owstoni, sightings are so rare and widespread that the presence of goblin sharks could extend well beyond these areas.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic ; palearctic ; australian ; indian ocean; atlantic ocean ; pacific ocean

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Trophic Strategy

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Mitsukurina owstoni appears to feed mid-water or close to the bottom where it uses a combination of electrical sensors, smell and (minimal) eyesight to catch any vertically migrating animals that it comes across. It is also possible that they stay deep and scan the bottom for prey. Stomach records are rare, and include parts of squid, fish, ostracods, and crabs.

Animal Foods: fish; mollusks; aquatic crustaceans

Primary Diet: carnivore (Piscivore , Eats non-insect arthropods, Molluscivore )

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
editor
Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Associations

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As it is often difficult to deduce ecosystem roles in easily studied environments, it comes as no surprise that nothing is known about goblin sharks' role in the mid-water or benthic community besides its role as a predator.

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
editor
Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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Mitsukurina owstoni has minimal economic importance. Apparently it is sometimes fished commercially off Japan.

Positive Impacts: food

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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There are no known adverse affects of goblin sharks on humans.

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

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The goblin shark is rarely found, but not thought to be threatened.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Behavior

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Like all sharks, goblin sharks probably hunt using their senses of smell, sight, sound and the electrical sensing organs called ampullae of Lorenzini. Due to the depth at which they live, eyesight is probably less useful than other senses. The snout (which is abnormally large in Mitsukurina owstoni) houses the ampullae of Lorenzini which are attuned to catching otherwise undetectable prey in dark waters or on the bottom.

There is no available data on communication within the species.

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic ; chemical ; electric

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
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Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Untitled

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Most of the biology of Mitsukurina owstoni is unknown due to the rarity of sightings and specimens. However, though rarely seen, this shark is thought to be fairly common because of its wide range. Nonetheless, because it lives in deep waters, is not a common sight for humans. Most of the information is partial, and deduced from the morphology of the shark and from samples of the few existing specimens. Other common names include: imp shark, elfin shark, and tenguzame(Japanese). Differences in extension of jaws in death lead to confusion over how many species of Mitsukurina there actually are. As of now, there is only one recognized species. However, the extant goblin shark is considered to be very closely related to a similar Cretaceous shark genus Scapanorhynchus, known from fossils.

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Associations

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There are no known predators of the goblin shark except for infrequent Japanese fishermen.

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Reproduction

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There has been no direct study of goblin sharks in the wild, so there is no information on there mating habits.

Goblin sharksare rarely seen, and even more rarely studied in detail. Essentially all known data on goblin sharks are from accidental catches in trawling nets. Thus, since there have been no opportunities to observe goblin sharks in their natural habit (or even alive for that matter), data on reproduction and behavior are very scarce. There is no information on age at sexual maturity for either sex, number of offspring, or gestation period.

Most sharks are independent as soon as they are born. This is probably not different in the case of the goblin shark.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); ovoviviparous

Though there are no data for goblin sharks in particular, sharks in general do not provide any degree of parental investment.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement

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Bizer, S. 2004. "Mitsukurina owstoni" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mitsukurina_owstoni.html
author
Stephen Bizer, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Matthew Wund, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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David Armitage, Animal Diversity Web
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Brief Summary

provided by EOL authors

The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a rare, poorly known species of deep-sea shark. Sometimes called a "living fossil", it is the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. This species looks unlike any other shark, with a long flattened snout, highly protrusible jaws containing prominent nail-like teeth, and pink coloration. It is usually between three and four meters (10–13 ft) long when mature, though can grow considerably larger. Goblin sharks inhabit upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts around the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles.

Various anatomical features of the goblin shark, such as its flabby body and small fins, suggest that it is sluggish in nature. This species hunts for teleost fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans both near the sea floor and in the middle of the water column. Its long snout is covered with ampullae of Lorenzini that enable it to sense minute electric fields produced by nearby prey, which it can snatch up by rapidly extending its jaws. Small numbers of goblin sharks are unintentionally caught by deepwater fisheries. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as Least Concern, citing its wide distribution and low incidence of capture.

From Wikipedia 2013

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Diagnostic Description

provided by FAO species catalogs
fieldmarks: This unmistakable shark has a flat blade-like elongated snout, tiny eyes without nictitating eyelids, soft flabby body, slender very long-cusped teeth in long highly protrusable jaws, two spineless dorsals and an anal fin, and a long caudal fin without a ventral lobe. Colour: live and newly-captured individuals are pinkish white, but usually fade to brownish in alcohol. Head as long as trunk or slightly shorter. Snout greatly elongated, blade-like and flattened. Eyes small, length 1.0 to 2.4% of precaudal length. Gill openings short, length of first 4.6 to 5.9% of precaudal length, not extending onto dorsal surface of head; all gill openings anterior to pectoral-fin bases; no gill rakers on internal gill slits. Mouth large, parabolic, ventral on head; jaws strongly protrusable to about opposite snout tip but not greatly distensible laterally. Teeth large, anteriors and laterals very narrow and awl-like, in 35 to 53/31 to 62 (66 to 115 total) rows; three rows of large anterior teeth on each side of upper and lower jaws, the uppers separated from the smaller upper lateral teeth by a gap without intermediate teeth; a pair of lower symphysial teeth present. Trunk compressed and moderately slender, very soft and flabby. Caudal peduncle compressed and without keels or precaudal pits. Dermal denticles small and rough, with erect spike-like crowns with narrow cusps and ridges; cusps of lateral denticles pointing perpendicular to surface of skin. Pectoral fins short and broad, much shorter than head in adults; pectoral skeleton aplesodic with radials confined to fin bases. Pelvic fins large, larger than dorsal fins; fin skeleton aplesodic. Dorsal fins small, low, and rounded, or semi-angular, first and second dorsals equal-sized and smaller than the large, rounded anal fin; first dorsal skeleton aplesodic. Second dorsal and anal fins with broad, nonpivoting bases. Caudal fin not lunate, dorsal lobe long but half length of rest of shark or less, ventral lobe not developed. Neurocranium low, with a greatly elongated compressed rostrum, depressed internasal septum and widespread nasal capsules, small orbits with the supraorbital crests reduced to isolated preorbital and postorbital processes, tiny stapedial foramina, and with hyomandibular facets not extended outward. Vertebral centra strongly calcified, with well-developed double cones and radii but no annuli. Total vertebral count 122 to 125, precaudal count 53 to 56, diplospondylous caudal count 68 to 69. Intestinal valve of ring type with 19 turns.

References

  • Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975a
  • Bean, 1905
  • Compagno, Ebert & Cowley, 1991
  • Compagno, Ebert & Smale, 1989
  • D.A. Ebert (pers. comm.)
  • Davison & van Berkel, 1985
  • Hussakof, 1909
  • J.D. Stevens (pers. comm.)
  • J. Ugoretz (pers. comm.)
  • Jordan, 1898
  • P. Duarte (pers. comm.)
  • Piotrovsky & Prut'ko, 1980
  • Shcherbachev, 1987
  • Shinohara & Matsuura, 1997
  • Shiobara, 1990
  • Stead, 1963
  • Stevens & Paxton, 1985
  • Uyeno, Matsuura & Fujii, 1983
  • Uyeno, Nakamura & Mikami, 1976
  • Y. Shiobara (pers. comm.)

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Sharks of the world An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2 Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Leonard J.V. Compagno 2001.  FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 2001. p.269.
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
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Distribution

provided by FAO species catalogs
Western Atlantic: Guiana, Surinam, French Guyana. Eastern Atlantic: France (Bay of Biscay), Madeira, Portugal, Senegal, Gulf of Guinea, South Africa (Western Cape). Western Indian Ocean: South Africa (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal), Mozambique (Mozambique seamount range). Western Pacific: Japan, Australia (South Australia, New South Wales), New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: USA (southern California).
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Sharks of the world An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2 Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Leonard J.V. Compagno 2001.  FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 2001. p.269.
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Size

provided by FAO species catalogs
Maximum total length at least 384 cm. Size at birth unknown, smallest recorded specimen 107 cm; mature males 264, 320 and 384 cm, females reaching 373 cm, one mature at 335 cm. Weight 210 kg at 384 cm.
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Sharks of the world An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2 Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Leonard J.V. Compagno 2001.  FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 2001. p.269.
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Brief Summary

provided by FAO species catalogs
A poorly known, bottom-dwelling shark that inhabits the outer continental shelves and upper slopes and is found off seamounts, but rarely occurs at the surface or in shallow water close inshore.Most records are on or near the continental slopes between 270 and 960 m deep but down to at least 1 300 m, sometimes in shallower shelf waters at 95 to 137 m. Seamount records suggest that the species is oceanic or semioceanic in addition to its known occurrences off continental slopes. Very little is known of the biology of this bizarre shark, which is rare in most places where it is known apart from Japan and possibly Portugal. The long flexible caudal fin, without a ventral lobe, the soft, flabby body, and small, soft paired and unpaired fins, suggest that the goblin shark is a relatively inactive, slow swimming species with a density close to seawater. Its remarkable blade-like snout is superficially similar to those of the chondrostean paddlefishes (Polyodontidae), and like these fishes may use it as a forward-projecting prey detector.Its slender, pick-like anterior and lateral teeth suggests small, soft-bodied prey including fishes, shrimp and squid, and one specimen was found with fish remains in its stomach. As in Carcharias taurus, the posterior teeth of the goblin shark are modified for crushing. The jaws of the goblin shark are highly specialized for rapid projection from the head as in some mesopelagic teleosts, propelled in part by a double set of elastic tensioning ligaments at the mandibular joints. The first set of ligaments are at the hinge joint between the ceratohyal head and Meckel's cartilage on each side; and the second set extends across the head of the hyomandibula in a cavity between the ceratohyal and Meckel's cartilage on each side. The ligaments are stretched when the jaws are retracted rearward into the mouth but are relaxed when the jaws are shot forward, and apparently function (along with the long preorbitalis muscles) like a catapult to project the jaws forward and snap up small animals. This shark is often illustrated and preserved with the jaws more or less protruded but a live goblin shark in captivity in the Marine Science Museum, Tokai University, Shimizu, Japan, held its jaws tightly retracted while swimming (Shiobara, 1990, Y. Shiobara, pers. comm. and photographs).Early catch records (Bean, 1905) suggested that mature females visited the east coast of Honshu during the springtime only. Mode of reproduction unknown; a pregnant female has never been reported.
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Sharks of the world An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2 Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Leonard J.V. Compagno 2001.  FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 2001. p.269.
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Benefits

provided by FAO species catalogs
Interest to fisheries minimal, taken as untargeted bycatch of deepwater trawl fisheries and occasionally taken with deepwater longlines, deep-set gill nets, and possibly purse seines. Utilized dried-salted for human consumption. Conservation Status : Conservation status unknown.
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Sharks of the world An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2 Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). Leonard J.V. Compagno 2001.  FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 2001. p.269.
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
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Diagnostic Description

provided by Fishbase
Flat, bladelike, elongated snout, tiny eyes without nictitating eyelids, soft, flabby body, slender, very long cusped teeth in long, protrusible jaws, long caudal fin without a ventral lobe (Ref. 247). Pinkish-white with bluish fins, becoming brownish grey after death (Ref. 5578, 11228).
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Recorder
Cristina V. Garilao
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Life Cycle

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Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding on other ova produced by the mother (oophagy) after the yolk sac is absorbed (Ref. 247, 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).
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Cristina V. Garilao
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Morphology

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Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 0
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Cristina V. Garilao
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Trophic Strategy

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Found on outer continental shelves and upper slopes, but rarely in shallow water close inshore . Jaws are highly specialized for rapid projection from the head to snap up small animals. Feeds on jacopever, pelagic octopus and crabs.
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Drina Sta. Iglesia
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Biology

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Found on outer continental shelves and upper slopes, but rarely in shallow water close inshore (Ref. 247, 43278). Jaws are highly specialized for rapid projection from the head to snap up small animals (Ref. 247). Feeds on jacopever, pelagic octopus and crabs (Ref. 5578). Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref. 50449). Probably slow-moving and neutrally buoyant (Ref. 6871). Utilized dried salted (Ref. 247)
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Kent E. Carpenter
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分布

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
主要發現區域包括西大西洋:蓋亞那 、蘇利南 與法屬圭亞那。東大西洋: 法國 (比斯開灣) 、馬得拉群島、幾內亞灣、葡萄牙與南非。西印度洋: 南非外海及莫三比克。西太平洋: 日本、臺灣、澳洲 (澳洲南部, 新南威爾斯) 、紐西蘭 。東太平洋:南加利福尼亞海域。臺灣發現於東部之花蓮外海。
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利用

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非常罕見魚種。
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描述

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
體延長而呈圓柱形。吻突出似短劍,故又稱為「劍吻鯊」。眼小,兩頜顯著突出;口近端位;兩頜齒同形,有棘狀齒冠,末端尖細,齒基部寬,有2齒根。鰓孔之後緣皆位於胸鰭基部前方。兩背鰭等大,但小於腹鰭和臀鰭;胸鰭小型,後緣圓形;尾鰭不呈新月形,背側葉長,約略等長於體長之一半;腹側葉不甚發達。尾柄扁平,不具側脊或凹槽。脊椎總數為122-125。
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棲地

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這是生態習性所知有限的一種底棲性大型鯊魚。大部分的記錄顯示其棲息於大陸斜坡約270-960公尺深的海域,但亦曾被發現於深達1300公尺深處。最大體長可達385公分。
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Goblin shark

provided by wikipedia EN

The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a rare species of deep-sea shark. Sometimes called a "living fossil", it is the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. This pink-skinned animal has a distinctive profile with an elongated, flat snout, and highly protrusible jaws containing prominent nail-like teeth. It is usually between 3 and 4 m (10 and 13 ft) long when mature, though it can grow considerably larger such as one captured in 2000 that is thought to have measured 6 m (20 ft).[3] Goblin sharks are benthopelagic creatures that inhabit upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts throughout the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles. Some researchers believe that these sharks could also dive to depths of up to 1,300 m (4,270 ft), for short periods of time.[3]

Various anatomical features of the goblin shark, such as its flabby body and small fins, suggest that it is sluggish in nature. This species hunts for teleost fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans both near the sea floor and in the middle of the water column. Its long snout is covered with ampullae of Lorenzini that enable it to sense minute electric fields produced by nearby prey, which it can snatch up by rapidly extending its jaws. Small numbers of goblin sharks are unintentionally caught by deepwater fisheries. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as Least Concern, despite its rarity, citing its wide distribution and low incidence of capture.

Taxonomy

Differing jaw positions in preserved goblin sharks caused several specimens to be described erroneously as distinct species.

American ichthyologist David Starr Jordan described the goblin shark in an 1898 issue of Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, recognizing the peculiar fish not only as a new species, but also a new genus and family. He based his account on an immature male 107 cm (42 in) long caught in Sagami Bay near Yokohama, Japan. The specimen had been acquired by shipmaster and naturalist Alan Owston, who had given it to Professor Kakichi Mitsukuri at the University of Tokyo, who in turn had brought it to Jordan. Thus, Jordan named the shark Mitsukurina owstoni in honor of these two men.[4]

The generic name honors Keigo Mitsukuri, a Japanese zoologist who studied at University College London during the 1860s. The specific name honors Alan Owston, an English collector of Asian wildlife.[5] The common name "goblin shark" is a calque of its traditional Japanese name tenguzame, a tengu being a Japanese mythical creature often depicted with a long nose and red face.[6] Another name for this species is elfin shark.[2]

Soon after Jordan's description was published, several scientists noted the similarity between Mitsukurina and the extinct Mesozoic shark Scapanorhynchus.[7] For a time, the prevailing opinion was to treat Mitsukurina as a junior synonym of Scapanorhynchus. Eventually, more complete fossils revealed many anatomical differences between Scapanorhynchus and Mitsukurina, causing modern authors to again regard them as distinct genera.[8] Several goblin shark specimens were described as separate species from 1904 to 1937, none of which are now considered valid. This taxonomic confusion began because the specimens' jaws were fixed at varying degrees of protrusion during preservation, giving the appearance of proportional differences among the heads.[9]

Phylogeny and evolution

Phylogenetic studies based on morphology have classified the goblin shark as the most basal member of the order Lamniformes, known as mackerel sharks.[10][11] Studies using genetic data have also confirmed a basal classification for this species.[12][13] The family Mitsukurinidae, represented by Mitsukurina, Scapanorhynchus, and Anomotodon, dates back to the Aptian age of the Cretaceous period (c. 125–113 Ma). Mitsukurina itself first appears in the fossil record during the period Middle Eocene (c. 49–37 Ma);[14][15] extinct species include M. lineata and M. maslinensis.[16][17] Striatolamia macrota, which lived in warm shallow waters during the Paleogene period (c. 66–23 Ma), may also be a Mitsukurina species.[18] As the last member of an ancient lineage, and one that retains several "primitive" traits, the goblin shark has been described as a "living fossil".[19]

Description

The goblin shark's jaws extend dramatically when feeding.

The goblin shark has a distinctively long and flat snout, resembling a blade. The proportional length of the snout decreases with age.[20] The eyes are small and lack protective nictitating membranes; behind the eyes are spiracles. The large mouth is parabolic in shape. The jaws are very protrusible and can be extended almost to the end of the snout, though normally they are held flush against the underside of the head. It has 35–53 upper and 31–62 lower tooth rows. The teeth in the main part of the jaws are long and narrow, particularly those near the symphysis (jaw midpoint), and are finely grooved lengthwise. The rear teeth near the corners of the jaw are small and have a flattened shape for crushing. Much individual variation of tooth length and width occurs, as for whether the teeth have a smaller cusplet on each side of the main cusp, and regarding the presence of toothless gaps at the symphysis or between the main and rear teeth. The five pairs of gill slits are short, with the gill filaments inside partly exposed; the fifth pair is above the origin of the pectoral fins.[6][8][21]

The body is fairly slender and flabby. The two dorsal fins are similar in size and shape, both being small and rounded. The pectoral fins are also rather small and rounded. The pelvic and anal fins have long bases and are larger than the dorsal fins. The caudal peduncle is flattened from side-to-side and lacks keels or notches. The asymmetric caudal fin has a long upper lobe with a shallow ventral notch near the tip, and an indistinct lower lobe.[8][21] The soft, semitranslucent skin has a rough texture from a covering of dermal denticles, each shaped like a short upright spine with lengthwise ridges. Living sharks of this species are pink or tan due to visible blood vessels beneath the skin; the color deepens with age, and young sharks may be almost white. The fins' margins are translucent gray or blue, and the eyes are black with bluish streaks in the irises. After death, the coloration fades quickly to dull gray or brown.[6][9] Adult sharks usually measure between 3 and 4 m (9.8 and 13.1 ft) long.[6] However, the capture of an enormous female estimated at 5.4–6.2 m (18–20 ft) long during 2000 showed this species can grow far larger than suspected previously.[20] A 2019 study suggested that it would have reached 7 m (23 ft) in maximum length.[22] The maximum weight recorded is 210 kg (460 lb) for a shark of 3.8 m (12.5 ft) in length.[8]

Distribution and habitat

The goblin shark has been caught in all three major oceans, indicating a wide global distribution. In the Atlantic Ocean, it has been recorded from the northern Gulf of Mexico, Suriname, French Guiana, and southern Brazil in the west, and France, Portugal, Madeira, and Senegal in the east.[2][6][23] It has also been collected from seamounts along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.[24][25] In the Indo-Pacific and Oceania, it has been found off South Africa, Mozambique, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. This species has been recorded from off East Cape to Kaikōura Canyon and from the Challenger Plateau near New Zealand.[26] A single eastern Pacific specimen is known, collected off southern California.[2][6] This species is most often found over the upper continental slope at depths of 270–960 m (890–3,150 ft).[8] It has been caught as deep as 1,300 m (4,300 ft), and a tooth has been found lodged in an undersea cable at a depth of 1,370 m (4,490 ft).[27] Adults inhabit greater depths than juveniles. Immature goblin sharks frequent the submarine canyons off southern Japan at depths of 100–350 m (330–1,150 ft), with individuals occasionally wandering into inshore waters as shallow as 40 m (130 ft).[2][28] On 19 April 2014, fishermen in Key West, Florida, while fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, caught a goblin shark in their fishing net, only the second one ever to be caught in the Gulf.[29] The shark was photographed and released back into the water.[29] The first shark found in the Gulf was caught by commercial fisherman on 25 July 2000 at a depth of approximately 919-1,099 m (3,016-3606 ft) and is thought to have been about 20 ft long.[30]

During July 2014, a goblin shark was found in a fishery net in Sri Lanka, near the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. The shark was about 4 ft (1.2 m) long and weighed about 7.5 kg (17 lb). The shark was given to the NARA (National Aquatic Resource Research & Development Agency) for further research.[31]

Biology and ecology

Although observations of living goblin sharks are scant, its anatomy suggests its lifestyle is inactive and sluggish.[32] Its skeleton is reduced and poorly calcified, the muscle blocks along its sides (myomeres) are weakly developed, and its fins are soft and small. Its long caudal fin, held at a low angle, is also typical of a slow-swimming shark. The long snout appears to have a sensory function, as it bears numerous ampullae of Lorenzini that can detect the weak electric fields produced by other animals. Due to the snout's softness, it is unlikely to be used for stirring up prey from the bottom as has been proposed.[9] Vision seems to be less important than other senses, considering the relatively small optic tectum in the shark's brain.[6] Yet unlike most deep-sea sharks, it can change the size of its pupils, thus probably does use its sight in some situations.[27] Goblin sharks may be the prey of blue sharks (Prionace glauca).[28] Parasites documented from this species include the copepod Echthrogaleus mitsukurinae,[33] and the tapeworms Litobothrium amsichensis and Marsupiobothrium gobelinus.[34]

Feeding

Rattails and other deep-living teleosts are the main food of the goblin shark.

The goblin shark feeds mainly on teleost fishes such as rattails and dragonfishes. It also consumes cephalopods and crustaceans, including decapods and isopods. Garbage has been recorded from the stomachs of some specimens.[35] Its known prey includes bottom-dwelling species such as the blackbelly rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus), and midwater species such as the squid Teuthowenia pellucida and the ostracod Macrocypridina castanea rotunda. Thus, the goblin shark appears to forage for food both near the sea floor and far above it.[9][36]

Since it is not a fast swimmer, the goblin shark may be an ambush predator. Its low-density flesh and large oily liver make it neutrally buoyant, allowing it to drift towards its prey with minimal motions so as to avoid detection.[28] Once prey comes into range, the shark's specialized jaws can snap forward to capture it. The protrusion of the jaw is assisted by two pairs of elastic ligaments associated with the mandibular joint, which are pulled taut when the jaws are in their normal retracted position; when the shark bites, the ligaments release their tension and essentially "catapult" the jaws forward.[8] At the same time, the well-developed basihyal (analogous to a tongue) on the floor of the mouth drops, expanding the oral cavity and sucking in water and prey.[9] Striking and prey capture events were videotaped and recorded for the first time during 2008 and 2011 and helped to confirm the use and systematics of the protrusible jaws of goblin sharks. The video evidence suggests that while the jaws are definitely unique, goblin sharks use ram feeding, a type of prey capture that is typical of many mackerel sharks.[37] What makes the goblin shark unique is the kinematics of their jaw when feeding. The lower jaw seems to undergo more complex movements and is important in capturing the prey. The measured protrusions of the upper and lower jaw combined put the goblin shark jaws at 2.1–9.5 times more protrusible than other sharks. The lower jaw has a velocity about two times greater than the upper jaw because it not only protrudes forward, but also swings upward to capture the prey, and the maximum velocity of the jaws is 3.14 m/s. The goblin shark has a re-opening and re-closing pattern during the strike, a behavior that has never been seen in other sharks before and could be related to the extent with which the goblin shark protrudes its jaws.[37] This “slingshot” style of feeding could be an adaptation to compensate for poor swimming ability by allowing the goblin shark to catch elusive, fast prey without having to chase the prey.

Life history

Little is known about goblin shark reproduction because a pregnant female has yet to be found and studied. It likely shares the reproductive characteristics of other mackerel sharks, which are viviparous with small litter sizes and embryos that grow during gestation by eating undeveloped eggs (oophagy).[2] The birth size is probably close to 82 cm (32 in), the length of the smallest known specimen.[6] Males mature sexually at about 2.6 m (8.5 ft) long, while female maturation size is unknown.[2] No data is available concerning growth and aging.[6] Some researchers have estimated, based on their own research and prior findings, that male goblin sharks mature at approximately 16 years old and can live up to 60 years.[38]

Human interactions

Some of the first known findings pertaining to the goblin shark were published in 1910, and the researcher wrote that, "the new shark is certainly grotesque," and that, "the most remarkable feature is the curiously elongated nose."[39] Given the depths at which it lives, the goblin shark poses little danger to humans. A few specimens have been collected alive and brought to public aquariums, though they only survived briefly. One was kept at Tokai University and lived for a week, while another was kept at Tokyo Sea Life Park and lived for two days.[8][40] Its economic significance is minimal; the meat may be dried and salted, while the jaws fetch high prices from collectors.[2][8] At one time, the Japanese also used it for liver oil and fertilizer.[41] This shark is not targeted by any fisheries, but is occasionally found as bycatch in bottom gillnets and trawls, hooked on longlines, or entangled in fishing gear. Most captures are isolated incidents; one of the few areas where it is caught regularly is off southern Japan, where around 30 individuals (mostly juveniles) are taken each year. A black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo) fishery off Madeira also takes two or three goblin sharks annually. During April 2003, more than a hundred goblin sharks were caught off northwestern Taiwan; the cause of the event was unknown, though observers noted it was preceded by a major earthquake. The species had never been recorded in the area before, nor has it been found in such numbers since.[2][6] The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized the goblin shark as Least Concern.[2] In addition to its wide range, most of its population is thought to reside in unfished environments because few adults are caught. Therefore, it is not believed to be threatened by human activity.[2] However, during June 2018 the New Zealand Department of Conservation classified the goblin shark as "At Risk – Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifiers "Data Poor" and "Secure Overseas" using the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[42]

References

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  29. ^ a b "Scientists amazed by accidental Gulf catch of second-ever goblin shark". SFGate. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  30. ^ Parsons, Glenn R.; Ingram, G. Walter; Havard, Ralph (2002). "First Record of the Goblin Shark Mitsukurina owstoni, Jordan (Family Mitsukurinidae) in the Gulf of Mexico". Southeastern Naturalist. 1 (2): 189–192. doi:10.1656/1528-7092(2002)001[0189:FROTGS]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1528-7092. JSTOR 3877998. S2CID 86600875.
  31. ^ "Valaichchena strange fish". lankadeepa.lk (in Sinhala). Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
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  33. ^ Izawa, K. (2012). "Echthrogaleus mitsukurinae sp. nov (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Pandaridae) infesting the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898 in Japanese waters". Crustaceana. 85 (1): 81–87. doi:10.1163/156854012x623674.
  34. ^ Caira, J.N.; Runkle, L.S. (1993). "2 new tapeworms from the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni off Australia". Systematic Parasitology. 26 (2): 81–90. doi:10.1007/BF00009215. S2CID 44048407.
  35. ^ Yano, K.; Miya, M.; Aizawa, M.; Noichi, T. (2007). "Some aspects of the biology of the goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni, collected from the Tokyo Submarine Canyon and adjacent waters, Japan". Ichthyological Research. 54 (4): 388–398. doi:10.1007/s10228-007-0414-2. S2CID 31917098.
  36. ^ Duffy, C.A.J. (1997). "Further records of the goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni (Lamniformes: Mitsukurinidae), from New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 24 (2): 167–171. doi:10.1080/03014223.1997.9518111.
  37. ^ a b Nakaya, K.; Tomita, T.; Suda, K; Sato, K. (2016). "Slingshot feeding of the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni (Pisces: Lamniformes: Mitsukurinidae)". Scientific Reports. 6 (27786): 27786. Bibcode:2016NatSR...627786N. doi:10.1038/srep27786. PMC 4901258. PMID 27282933.
  38. ^ Caltabellotta, Fabio P.; Siders, Zachary A.; Cailliet, Gregor M.; Motta, Fabio S.; Gadig, Otto B. F. (2020-08-20). "Preliminary age and growth of the deep-water goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni (Jordan, 1898)". Marine and Freshwater Research. 72 (3): 432. doi:10.1071/MF19370. ISSN 1448-6059. S2CID 225214059.
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Goblin shark: Brief Summary

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The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a rare species of deep-sea shark. Sometimes called a "living fossil", it is the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. This pink-skinned animal has a distinctive profile with an elongated, flat snout, and highly protrusible jaws containing prominent nail-like teeth. It is usually between 3 and 4 m (10 and 13 ft) long when mature, though it can grow considerably larger such as one captured in 2000 that is thought to have measured 6 m (20 ft). Goblin sharks are benthopelagic creatures that inhabit upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts throughout the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles. Some researchers believe that these sharks could also dive to depths of up to 1,300 m (4,270 ft), for short periods of time.

Various anatomical features of the goblin shark, such as its flabby body and small fins, suggest that it is sluggish in nature. This species hunts for teleost fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans both near the sea floor and in the middle of the water column. Its long snout is covered with ampullae of Lorenzini that enable it to sense minute electric fields produced by nearby prey, which it can snatch up by rapidly extending its jaws. Small numbers of goblin sharks are unintentionally caught by deepwater fisheries. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as Least Concern, despite its rarity, citing its wide distribution and low incidence of capture.

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Habitat

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Apoorly known, bottom-dwelling shark that inhabits the outer continental shelves and upper slopes and is found off seamounts, but rarely occurs at the surface or in shallow water close inshore. Most records are on or near the continental slopes between 270 and 960 m deep but down to at least 1 300 m, sometimes in shallower shelf waters at 95 to 137 m. Seamount records suggest that the species is oceanic or semioceanic in addition to its known occurrences off continental slopes.

Reference

Compagno, L.J.V. (2001). Sharks of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Volume 2. Bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks (Heterodontiformes, Lamniformes and Orectolobiformes). FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes. No. 1, Vol. 2. Rome, FAO. 269p.

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