Everyone knows about the menacing Great White and the petrifying Tiger shark, but not many people know about the Frilled shark. The Frilled shark is one of the two surviving species of the fossil shark family, the Frilled shark mainly living in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

First,  Frilled sharks are active predators and lunge at their prey, swallowing it whole, even if their prey is larger than themselves. They have several rows of sharp teeth, each with long points. These special teeth are perfect for when it comes to chewing soft pieces of meat. Marinebio.org states “They prefer squid, but they are also known for eating large fish and other types of sharks.” Frilled sharks are a rare sight in the wild, so scientists know fairly little about their habits. Also, little is known about their population trends. In fact, the little bit of information scientists do know was gathered from when they are accidentally caught in fishing nets. “Frilled sharks can accidentally get caught in fishing lines, causing damage to their fins, and other parts of their skin.” says oceana.org  In some cases when they are caught, they may be kept and used for food, and sometimes souvenirs. Their mouth is located at the edge of their snout, unlike other sharks whose mouth is underneath. Marinebio.org says “Frilled sharks can grow up to two meters long and are a dark brown or gray color. They usually have nineteen to twenty-eight teeth in the upper jaw and twenty-one to twenty-nine teeth in their lower jaw.” 

Finally, Frilled sharks are a very unique species of shark. Although not much is known about them, scientists strive to learn more about these mysterious underwater beauties.

By: Jyllian Skoda

Photo Credits: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/