Skip to main content

Frilled Shark

(Image Source)
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Chondrichthyes
Order : Hexanchiformes
Family : Chlamydoselachidae
Genus : Chlamydoselachus
Species : anguineus

Length : Male 38-46in (97-117cm); Female 53-59in (135-150cm)

IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Frilled Sharks are elusive, deep sea sharks that were first observed on camera in their natural habitat back in 2004. Prior to that, they had only been seen after being caught in trawls (and even these was a very rare occurrences). Frilled Sharks can be found in oceans worldwide, though the distribution is patchy. The North Sea, areas around South Africa, and waters near Japan are some of the confirmed locations for the species. They live at depths of 500-1,000m, though are sometimes observed in shallower waters.

Frilled Sharks have some pretty interesting anatomy. They are so named because of the "frills" that cover their six gill slits on each side. They have very eel-like bodies, and mouths filled with 300 trident-shaped teeth arranged into 25 rows. It is believed that they strike at prey in a snakish manner, and around 60% of their diet consists of deep-sea squid.

Frilled Sharks also have some pretty remarkable reproductive habits. They are, like many sharks, ovoviviparous. The litter size is quite small, rarely numbering over 12, and at birth the offspring can be as large as 60cm. The really interesting thing is that some scientists believe that their gestation period lasts for 3.5 years. That is almost twice as long as an elephant's. If correct, the Frilled Shark has the longest gestation period of any vertebrate species.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent