Shark From 80 Million Years Ago Is Still Alive – It Has a Snake’s Head and Insane Teeth
Photo: OpenCage/Wikimedia
And those teeth aren’t only good for snagging prey, but also luring it. In contrast to the shark’s dark brown or grayish skin, “the bright teeth might serve as almost a lure to bring in prey items that see this light color,” he said. “And by the time they realize, Oh, that’s the teeth of a shark, they’re too close and the shark is able to ambush them at that point.”
“It’s almost like when you drive out of a parking lot exit and they have the spikes sticking out that say, ‘Do not back up,'” he added. “That’s kind of what happens when these things catch prey items.”
The sharks’ diet mostly consists of squids, bony fish, and occasionally, other sharks. Thanks to their very long jaws, they are able to eat prey that is larger than their own size.
On average, they measure between 3-5 feet, but their bodies can reach up to 6.4 feet long, with females being slightly longer. Scientists still have to learn a lot about the species, and so their lifespan is unknown, but they estimate that they can live up to 25 years.
In 2007, a frilled shark, captured by a Japanese fisherman at the surface of the water, was put on display in a marine park in Japan. Unfortunately, it died after only a couple of hours of captivity, which shows how fragile the creature is when it’s far from its natural habitat.
Interestingly, these animals hold the world record for the longest gestation period in the animal kingdom, with the length of 42 months. In comparison, the elephant, as a silver medalist, has a gestation period of only 18-22 months. The baby sharks develop inside the female, and they are only born once they are equipped to survive on their own. Through this method, the highly developed younglings have a better chance of surviving after being born.
And those teeth aren’t only good for snagging prey, but also luring it. In contrast to the shark’s dark brown or grayish skin, “the bright teeth might serve as almost a lure to bring in prey items that see this light color,” he said. “And by the time they realize, Oh, that’s the teeth of a shark, they’re too close and the shark is able to ambush them at that point.”
“It’s almost like when you drive out of a parking lot exit and they have the spikes sticking out that say, ‘Do not back up,'” he added. “That’s kind of what happens when these things catch prey items.”
The sharks’ diet mostly consists of squids, bony fish, and occasionally, other sharks. Thanks to their very long jaws, they are able to eat prey that is larger than their own size.
On average, they measure between 3-5 feet, but their bodies can reach up to 6.4 feet long, with females being slightly longer. Scientists still have to learn a lot about the species, and so their lifespan is unknown, but they estimate that they can live up to 25 years.
In 2007, a frilled shark, captured by a Japanese fisherman at the surface of the water, was put on display in a marine park in Japan. Unfortunately, it died after only a couple of hours of captivity, which shows how fragile the creature is when it’s far from its natural habitat.
Interestingly, these animals hold the world record for the longest gestation period in the animal kingdom, with the length of 42 months. In comparison, the elephant, as a silver medalist, has a gestation period of only 18-22 months. The baby sharks develop inside the female, and they are only born once they are equipped to survive on their own. Through this method, the highly developed younglings have a better chance of surviving after being born.
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24 August 2023
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