Creature Feature

Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)

 Bottom dwelling sharks  Usually inhabit continental slope region ( ft)  Rarely seen at the surface or in shallow coastal waters (very elusive)  Identified by its elongated and flattened snout  Pinkish/white in color with bluish fins

Distribution

 Grow up to 11ft and weigh 250 lbs  Identified by its elongated and flattened snout  Up to 25% of the shark's body weight can be its liver  Next to nothing is known of the goblin shark's reproductive habits Thought to be ovoviviparous Thought to be ovoviviparous Have never caught a pregnant female Have never caught a pregnant female

Feeding  Feed on deep sea squid, crabs, and fish  Hunt by sensing the presence of prey with electro-sensitive organs in the rostrum  Protrudes its jaws, while using a tongue-like muscle to suck the victim into its sharp front teeth

Conservation  Listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN  Most often caught as fisheries bycatch Deep bottom-set gillnets Deep bottom-set gillnets Sea-bottom long line fishing Sea-bottom long line fishing Trawling Trawling Deep-sea fishing line entanglement Deep-sea fishing line entanglement

Creature Feature