The ocean is home to many fascinating as well as frightening creatures. One of them is the Frilled shark which is blessed with both qualities – they are fascinating as well as frightening. These are known to be the prehistoric sea serpent species that have been rarely seen by humans – that’s why from their appearance to their reproduction, all is a wonder to researchers. This article covers some interesting information about Frilled sharks.
What is the Habitat Frilled Sharks Prefer?
Frilled sharks are widely distributed in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. These species mostly thrive in the region along the continental selves or slope. The Frilled sharks live usually near the floor of the ocean, at the depth of 50 to 200 meters which is why they are hardly seen. At night hours, these species swim toward the coastal surface for feeding.
What is the Physical Appearance of the Frilled Sharks?
Physically, the Frilled sharks look like Eel, having a dark brownish to grayish coloration, long heads, large mouths, round snouts, and small gill slit. The mouth is equipped with 300 sharp needle-like small teeth, arranged in 25 rows. The skin of the sharks is rough and has small needle-like denticles that protect them from predatory animals. The ever-captured specimen of the Frilled shark measures a length of 6.6 feet or 2 meters maximum.
What Do Frilled Sharks Feed On?
Frilled sharks are found to feed on bony fish, small sharks, squids, and crustaceans. Frilled sharks do not have strong bites like the other sharks but they use their large jaws to catch and engulf the whole prey. Moreover, it is also observed that these species use a snake-like pattern to approach the prey.
How Does Frilled Shark Reproduce?
Though, Frilled sharks have been rarely been investigated that’s why there is not much knowledge available regarding their reproductive behavior. According to the reported data, these species are ovoviviparous which means that the embryo develops inside the mother’s body after fertilization. These species have a very slow reproductive rate, as they have a gestation period of 3.5 years or even more, giving birth to 2 to 15 pups in each breeding season.
Why Frilled Sharks are Called Living Fossils?
Frilled sharks are called living fossils because they are inhabiting ocean waters for a long time. The historical background of the Frilled Sharks shows that they have been living for about 80 million years or even more. Not only this, these remarkable creatures have not changed a little bit in their habitat or appearance. Researchers believe they lived in shallow waters and survive the biggest mass extinction but moves to the deeper water for survival.
What is the Conservational Status of Frilled Sharks?
These species live deep in the ocean water and the accurate number of their population is still undermined. The New Zealand Threat Classification System called them At risk—naturally uncommon – meaning that they are hard to sight and IUCN listed them in the category of Least Concern.
Final Verdict
Frilled sharks are the most fascinating as well as the frightening species that are living deep in the ocean water for more than 80 million years. These species have never changed a little in their appearance and survival pattern which is why the scientists called them living fossils. The Frilled sharks have been rarely sighted and are not much known about them, thus listed as the Least Concern by IUCN.Â
