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Sea Creatures 101: Shark Series: The Goblin Shark: Ugly and Rare

© Sharon Rorem

Not too far below the Ocean’s surface, an odd (scary?) looking shark waits for prey. Its pink-tinged skin and long, rubbery snout, along with small, beady eyes set it apart from many other sharks. This shark, commonly called a Goblin or Imp shark, was once considered rare because there are only 45 sightings recorded in scientific literature. It was first discovered in 1898 in the waters near Yokohama, Japan. The fishermen named it tenguzame, or "goblin shark" in Japanese because of its resemblance to drawings they had seen depicting goblins. Since then, sightings have been recorded in Japan, Portugal, France, New Zealand, Southern Africa, and Guinea.

Not much was known about this shark in the early days of study. It was thought that there were many species of Goblin sharks. In fact, it may have been only one species of Goblin shark. The reason that many scientists believed that there were many species is because often the Goblin shark studied was retrieved from a fishing net where it got caught and apparently tried to bite its way out. The Goblin shark’s jaw is very loose and located beneath the head. Like a Sand Tiger shark, this jaw can be pushed out past the mouth and then retract quickly. When the scientists studied various specimens caught in nets, some specimens’ jaws may have been in different positions of “bite”. As a Goblin shark bites, the shape and position of the head seems to change. The different “bites” were confusing the scientists.

Another confusing issue was the “skin” of a Goblin shark. Sharks generally don’t have “skin” as we know it. Their “skin” is rough like sandpaper. The Goblin shark’s “skin” is rubbery, translucent, and light pink when they are alive, and more grayish when they are dead. This is due to the capillaries being close to the surface of the “skin” and the lack of pigment in the “skin”. The color change between the live and the dead shark was fairly dramatic.

The Internet has been a great tool for scientists studying Goblin sharks. Shark enthusiasts are excited to share photos and information on their Goblin shark sightings. It’s thought that Goblin sharks swim in a range of about 1,445 feet during the day to about 985 feet at night. Size ranges from 5 feet to a whopping 12-½ feet long, with weights up to 445 pounds. Study of a Goblin shark carcass gives some information on eating habits, but specific eating habits are not yet known. Octopus, crab, and rockfish remains have been found in the stomach of Goblin sharks.