Goblin sharks are distinctive fish that live on the ocean floor and possess unique abilities that help them survive, find food, and adapt to their environment. This article on TekeTrek will discuss goblin sharks and their lifestyle.
Goblin shark characteristics
Goblin sharks belong to the class Chondrichthyes, family Mitsukurinidae, phylum Chordata, and are cartilaginous fish. The scientific name for goblin sharks is Mitsukurina owstoni.
What color is the goblin shark?
- Goblin sharks have semi-transparent skin, which means their blood vessels can be seen through their skin. This is why goblin sharks may appear in different colors in different pictures. They can appear pale white, gray, or pink.
- The most enchanting feature of goblin sharks is their long, pointed snout and unique jaw. Goblin sharks can protrude their entire jaw forward, thereby increasing the length of their deadly bite. The jaw of a goblin shark works like a rubber band; it is thrust forward to capture prey and then retracts back. The speed of the jaw is unmatched by any other animal on Earth.
- The mouth of a goblin shark is filled with long lines of sharp, pointed teeth, allowing it to grasp prey. As deep-sea dwellers, goblin sharks have poorly developed muscles and eyes.
- Goblin sharks have very small fins and a weak skeletal structure.
Goblin shark habitat
Goblin sharks are aquatic animals that live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They prefer benthic regions, meaning they are found near the ocean floor. These fish are known to dive to depths ranging from 300 to 800 feet.
Some facts about goblin sharks
Goblin sharks have a distinctive lifestyle. Here are some facts about them:
- Goblin sharks have been swimming in the ocean for about 125 million years, so they have adapted to the dark and cold depths of the ocean. They have survived by silently approaching their prey and using their fast jaw to seize their food.
- The size of goblin sharks varies, and the true maximum size of the species is still unknown. It is believed that goblin sharks grow to between nine and 20 feet.
- The goblin shark is named from the Japanese word “tenguzame”, where “Tengu” refers to a mythical creature with a red face and a long nose.
- Goblin sharks have an easygoing lifestyle and are very slow swimmers. Due to the difficulty of obtaining high-energy food in the depths of the oceans, deep-sea sharks do everything they can to conserve their energy and not waste it by swimming fast unnecessarily.
- It is worth noting that goblin sharks do not pose a threat to humans, and no case of predation on a human has been recorded.
How do goblin sharks see?
Firstly, goblin sharks have eyes capable of seeing, but they are not useful in the darkness of the deep sea. However, goblin sharks can “see” or locate their prey using electrical receptors in their nose. The snout of a goblin shark is filled with small electrical receptors called ampullae of Lorenzini. Sharks have ampullae of Lorenzini, which goblin sharks have on their noses. These electrical receptors help the goblin shark detect the smallest heartbeats of other animals living in the deep sea with extreme precision.
Goblin shark diet
The goblin shark is a carnivorous predator. Using the electrical receptors in its nose, swimming very slowly, and then pulling its fast jaw, the goblin shark preys on bony fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods, such as squid.
How Goblin shark lifespan?
Some researchers have estimated that goblin sharks can live for up to 60 years.
Reproductive stages of goblin sharks
- Goblin sharks mate through internal fertilization and give birth to a small number of relatively large young. Although they give birth to live young, these sharks do not connect with their young through the placenta. Instead, during pregnancy, it is likely that the mother provides her young with unfertilized eggs that they actively eat for nourishment.
- After birth, young goblin sharks are ready to be active predators, but there is still much we do not know about how they reproduce. Scientists have not yet captured or studied a pregnant female.
- Goblin sharks are not commercially fished, and they are rarely caught accidentally in fisheries targeting other species. Based on recent analysis, scientists believe that the goblin shark is the least concerning species.
The most frequently asked questions about goblin sharks
- Do goblin sharks still exist?
Goblin sharks can live up to 60 years.
- Has a goblin shark ever attacked a human?
It is found at the bottom and is rarely found near the surface.
- Do goblin sharks prey on humans?
No, no case of predation on humans has ever been recorded.
- How long is the goblin shark?
Mature individuals are usually 3-4 m (10-13 ft) long, but can grow to be larger.
- How can a goblin shark see its prey in the dark of the ocean?
Lorenzini lights cover this shark’s long snout, enabling it to sense minute electrical fields produced by nearby prey, and catch it by rapidly extending its jaw.
- Is the goblin shark considering an endangered species?
Despite its rarity, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has determined that the goblin shark is not threatened with extinction, based on its widespread distribution and low catch rate.
In conclusion, despite the rarity of goblin sharks, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified them as “Least Concern,” meaning they are not threatened with extinction. They are widely distributed, rarely seen by humans, and their population numbers remain stable.
