Rare shark captured on film

[Roon]

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)


http://www.cnn.com:80/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. She probably wanted to ask us to stop screwing up the planet.

[Richardo]

2. "Jaguar shark"

"what's that?"

"They're the first two words that came into my head."

[wildhorses]

3. cool, thanks for the link

:wow:

[Blue-Jay]

4. He's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes

[jberryhill]

5. Any word on how it tastes?

That's the Awashima Marine Park & Sushi Bar, but the name got cut off.

[jpgray]

6. DU almost jumped it on Tuesday

:rofl:

[ChickMagic]

7. Nipplegummer shark

She really is ailing in that photo, isn't she? Poor thing.