SHIZUOKA, JAPAN — Fishermen off the coast of Japan recently hauled in a rare megamouth shark, marking only the 58th time in history this particular species has been seen by man.
News of this catch comes on the heels of another bizarre catch, in which a goblin shark was netted by a shrimper.
According to the Japan Daily Press, megamouth sharks get their name because of the head, which is not in proportion to the animal’s body. They have been known to reach a maximum of 17 feet long. They are ‘filter feeders’ — eating large quantities of plankton, krill, and jellyfish.
The Marine Science Museum in Shizuoka, Japan dissected the animal for further study, while more than 1,000 people watched. The remains are now on display at a museum.
