Rare shark captured on film A.K.A Gawddang thats a ugly shark

FireFly · 01-25-2007, 02:13 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science...eut/index.html

Quote:

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- A species of shark rarely seen alive because its natural habitat is about 2,000 feet under the sea was captured on film by staff at a Japanese marine park this week.

The Awashima Marine Park in Shizuoka, south of Tokyo, was alerted by a fisherman at a nearby port on Sunday that he had spotted an odd-looking eel-like creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth.

Marine park staff caught the 5 foot (1.6 meter) long creature, which they identified as a female frilled shark, sometimes referred to as a "living fossil" because it is a primitive species that has changed little since prehistoric times. (Watch divers swim with bizarre, ailing shark )

The shark appeared to be in poor condition when park staff moved it to a seawater pool where they filmed it swimming and opening its jaws. (Photo gallery: More pictures of this odd creature of the deep)

"We believe moving pictures of a live specimen are extremely rare," said an official at the park. "They live between 1,968 and 3,280 feet (600 and 1,000 meters) under the water, which is deeper than humans can go."

"We think it may have come close to the surface because it was sick, or else it was weakened because it was in shallow waters," the official said.

The shark died a few hours after being caught.

Frilled sharks, which feed on other sharks and sea creatures, are sometimes caught in the nets of trawlers but are rarely seen alive.

*discordiatookie* · 01-25-2007, 03:48 PM

that thing is proper cool! it doesn't even look real, more like something from an old Godzilla movie! pretty ugly like, but hey, he's got a face only a mother can love! did you watch the video footage, i'd've been crapping myself....

Death's Head · 01-26-2007, 02:37 PM

I don't suppose we'll see another one of these for quite some time. Not even in a aquirium. But I do admit, it looks quite primitive by design, but looks interesting. I wonder how formidible it may be, and what aggression it can display.

*Ecto Jedi* · 01-26-2007, 02:48 PM

Jesus that's one butt-ugly eel.

*Raph's Girl* · 01-26-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecto Jedi

Jesus that's one butt-ugly eel.

It's not an eel...it's a shark. A very bent shark...

I saw the footage on the news a couple days ago...rather freaky. A shame it didn't survive. Ah well...

*Ecto Jedi* · 01-26-2007, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

It's not an eel...it's a shark. A very bent shark...

I saw the footage on the news a couple days ago...rather freaky. A shame it didn't survive. Ah well...

What exactly classifies it as a shark, anyway? 'Looks like an eel to me.

*Aelia* · 01-26-2007, 05:14 PM

Maybe it was the illegitimate offspring of an ancient shark and eel.

*Raph's Girl* · 01-26-2007, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ecto Jedi

What exactly classifies it as a shark, anyway? 'Looks like an eel to me.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frilled_shark

Superficially the frilled shark resembles a dark brown or grey eel, but the six gill slits identify it as a shark. The tissue of the gill slits protrudes somewhat, thus inspiring the common name. Its dorsal fin is small, anal fin large, and the caudal fin (tail fin) is highly asymmetric, the dorsal part almost unnoticeable. Its teeth are small, tricuspid, and very sharp. It has been recorded at up to 2 m in length.

~~LogicDonny~~ · 01-26-2007, 09:33 PM

wow this is very interesting and probably won't see another one for another 20 years or so.

when we upgrade our sea-faring machines we canfinally go further into the ocean and take photos.

Shark · 01-26-2007, 10:22 PM

WHO DARE'S CALL ME UGLY!!! That does it. Jaws! Come over here! There's someone I'd like for you to meet!

EDIT: Holy crap! Now that I actually saw it...it seems like something that doesn't exist but in movies. Wow.

*Aelia* · 01-26-2007, 11:15 PM

Yeah, it somehow reminds me of what it'd be like if Jaws and one of the worms from Dune mated.

*Buslady* · 01-27-2007, 12:09 AM

thats pretty cool actually but I'd like to see a LIVE megamouth shark

**Jo Dawn** · 01-27-2007, 09:27 AM

I saw this... It is rather cool... But I hate how we captured it, and then it died. Granted, it may have been sick beforehand... But do we really need to interefere? It might have lived if not for our meddling.

Shark · 01-27-2007, 07:19 PM

Whats this 'We' stuff? I wasn't there. 'You' killed it.

01-25-2007, 03:48 PM	#2
discordiatookie facehugger Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland Posts: 2,817	that thing is proper cool! it doesn't even look real, more like something from an old Godzilla movie! pretty ugly like, but hey, he's got a face only a mother can love! did you watch the video footage, i'd've been crapping myself.... __________________ Oh Discordia! Charyou Tree! Come, Reap! Don't tell us to grow up and out of it I got my cloak and dagger in a bar room brawl You actually trying to read this tiny text? Damn, you're dedicated! This is all just for effect you know... original TMNT art collection

01-26-2007, 02:37 PM	#3
Death's Head Foot Soldier Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: I'll just say that I'm a Texan. Posts: 116	I don't suppose we'll see another one of these for quite some time. Not even in a aquirium. But I do admit, it looks quite primitive by design, but looks interesting. I wonder how formidible it may be, and what aggression it can display. __________________

01-26-2007, 10:22 PM	#10
Shark Stone Warrior Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In my Wii, playing with my Wii. Playing with TMNT on the Wii. Wii Play TMNT WEEE!!! Posts: 653	WHO DARE'S CALL ME UGLY!!! That does it. Jaws! Come over here! There's someone I'd like for you to meet! EDIT: Holy crap! Now that I actually saw it...it seems like something that doesn't exist but in movies. Wow. __________________ The Forum's Un-Official Karai Obsessor!!! And my unhealthy obsession for Karai continues...I need therapy... Enter: Shadow Assassin RP has just started, and still open for new people. Favorite Sloganizer Quotes: "I quit smokeing with Karai.", "Karai on the outside, tasty on the inside." and "I'd sleep with Karai." Man that Sloganizer can be pretty perverted O.o

01-27-2007, 12:09 AM	#12
Buslady WingsOfDarkness! Perkele! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: In 7803... Posts: 4,366	thats pretty cool actually but I'd like to see a LIVE megamouth shark __________________

01-27-2007, 09:27 AM	#13
Jo Dawn Inactive Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Authority On All Things Don Posts: 5,190	I saw this... It is rather cool... But I hate how we captured it, and then it died. Granted, it may have been sick beforehand... But do we really need to interefere? It might have lived if not for our meddling. __________________

01-26-2007, 02:48 PM	#4
Ecto Jedi Denki Wo Kitte Kudasai Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 2,439	Jesus that's one butt-ugly eel.

01-26-2007, 05:14 PM	#7
Aelia Hamfisted Bun Vendor Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 1,582	Maybe it was the illegitimate offspring of an ancient shark and eel.

01-26-2007, 09:33 PM	#9
~~LogicDonny~~ Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,643	wow this is very interesting and probably won't see another one for another 20 years or so. when we upgrade our sea-faring machines we canfinally go further into the ocean and take photos.

01-26-2007, 11:15 PM	#11
Aelia Hamfisted Bun Vendor Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 1,582	Yeah, it somehow reminds me of what it'd be like if Jaws and one of the worms from Dune mated.

01-27-2007, 07:19 PM	#14
Shark Stone Warrior Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In my Wii, playing with my Wii. Playing with TMNT on the Wii. Wii Play TMNT WEEE!!! Posts: 653	Whats this 'We' stuff? I wasn't there. 'You' killed it. __________________ The Forum's Un-Official Karai Obsessor!!! And my unhealthy obsession for Karai continues...I need therapy... Enter: Shadow Assassin RP has just started, and still open for new people. Favorite Sloganizer Quotes: "I quit smokeing with Karai.", "Karai on the outside, tasty on the inside." and "I'd sleep with Karai." Man that Sloganizer can be pretty perverted O.o