From tiny little sharks you’ve never seen before to ones with gigantic mouths, here
are 10 of the rarest sharks on Earth.
10.
Bahamas Sawshark The Bahamas Sawshark is part of a few select
sharks that are named after human tools.
You can probably think of one other one too: the Hammerhead Shark.
But, the Bahamas Sawshark is much rarer, and arguably has many more unusual characteristics.
It's massively flat and long nose is very much like a saw, because it has tons of sharp
spikes on it.
It uses this serrated snout to actually dig into the ground to find its prey, and then
shred them up with the spikes.
So how does it find its prey?
Well, it's not based on sight because the Bahamas Sawshark actually lives between 400
to 1000 feet below sea level, which means there isn't any light for them to use.
Instead, if you look on their snouts, you'll see two whisker-like things attached to them
and coming down.
These are their Barbels, and they use them to detect movement and light on the ground.
And once something is detected, their snouts go to work.
In terms of size, the Bahamas Sawshark is only about 5 feet long, and given its depth,
you'll likely never have to worry about running into one on vacation.
Plus they are totally harmless (unless you are a shrimp!)
Nothing is known about its population numbers or eating habits, but it is assumed that they
eat small crustaceans and fish like other Sawsharks.
One more thing, in the known world, there's only one other fish that resembles the Sawshark,
it's called the Sawfish.
They're very similar in body type, but the Sawfish doesn't have Barbels.
9.
Frilled Shark After being discovered about 11 years ago,
the Frilled Shark has astounded both scientists and the rest of us common folk because of
its rather interesting appearance.
As some scientists have noted, the Frilled Shark looks like a creature you would find
in a national history museum!
Yet, it's very much alive in the modern world, which has led people to calling it a "living
fossil" or a "prehistoric shark", both of which could be accurate depending on how you
look at it.
The Frilled Shark does not have many of the "standard" features a shark is known for.
Mainly, it doesn't have a large dorsal fin, though it does have plenty of fins on the
side and bottom of its body.
Its skin also looks very rugged and worn, which also adds to its "living fossil" nickname.
Some have even likened the appearance of the Frilled Shark to an eel because of its length
and the way it moves.
At maximum length, the Frilled Shark can reach over 7 feet, and because of its special jaw,
which is both long and flexible, it's capable of eating octopus and even other sharks.
Typically, the Frilled Shark lives at around 5000 feet below sea level.
But in Japan, you might be able to see one at only 600 feet or less.
Those sharks better be careful over there!
6.
Megamouth Shark When it comes to rarity, the Megamouth Shark
might just be one of the rarest sharks ever found, as it was only discovered in 1976.
Since then, it's only been caught on film a mere three times.
There are only three types of sharks in the world that are known as "filter feeders",
meaning that they eat plankton and other small creatures.
The Megamouth Shark is one of those three.
Can you name the other 2 kinds of plankton-eating sharks in the world??
Put your answer in the comments below!!
The answer is coming up!!!
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Instead of hunting down prey and devouring them, the Megamouth Shark just leaves its
mouth open, and sucks in plankton and other unlucky creatures that don't see it.
Then, once it catches the plankton, it literally filters out what it needs and moves on.
Doesn't sound like a typical shark, huh?
Oh, and as for the mouth itself, it's over 4 feet wide, which gives it a much needed
edge to catch the food it needs!!!
The Megamouth Shark only has 90 teeth, and they're very small.
The Megamouth Shark can get up to 16 feet in length, and weigh around 1700 pounds!!!
Fun fact: It is the sole member of its own genus, Megachasma!!
Less than 100 of these sharks have ever been seen, mainly because they usually reside at
about 3000 feet below sea level.
8.
Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark Right off the bat, the Indonesian Speckled
Carpetshark is very different from other sharks.
It doesn't swim in the ocean, but it actually "walks" along the ocean floor.
It does this with its pectoral fins, which it uses to push off the ground in order to
achieve movement.
Another distinct characteristic of the Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark is that it's not that
big of a shark, it only grows to about 18 inches (46 cm) long!
Because it is so small, it is in constant danger of being attacked by predators.
To protect itself during the day, it'll actually find places to hide like a crack in the ocean
floor or in nearby coral reefs to ensure it doesn't get swallowed up by foes.
Then, once night comes and it feels safe, it'll come out and go get food like vulnerable
crustaceans.
A relative of the Bamboo Shark family, the Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark is most notable
for its spotted appearance, hence the “speckled” part of its name, but also for the fact that
it only lives in the waters off the Indonesia.
Specifically, it's only found in the West Papua islands.
7.
Sharpnose Sevengill Shark The Sharpnose Sevengill Shark gets its name
from its obvious physical features.
The shark has seven gill slits on each side, and its head is shaped in such a way that
its nose is very pointed.
Pretty specific name right?
You knew exactly what I was talking about!!
Also known as the one-finned shark, this shark inhabits virtually every sea and ocean in
the world.
However, it’s found over 3000 feet (914.4 m) under the ocean’s surface, with its average
depth between 1000-2000 feet.
So while it may be everywhere, if you're not at the right depth, you'll never see it.
Plus they usually don’t get bigger than 4 feet.
Despite this, it lives up to its shark-y nature, using its very nimble body to swim through
the ocean and grab its prey.
It likes to feed on fish, but it can also eat squid and crustaceans.
Fun fact, the Sharpnose Sevengill Shark is one of 47 species of shark that can be found
in the Mediterranean sea.
5.
Birdbeak Dogfish Shark The Birdbeak Dogfish Shark has an odd name
to go along with its very curious appearance.
It's name was given to it because of its snout, which looks like a bird’s beak in many people's
eyes.
I’m not so sure, what do you guys think??
Coming in at 4 feet in length, the Birdbeak Dogfish Shark has several features that make
it different from other sharks.
The snout is one of course, but it also doesn't have key fins that other sharks have, such
as the Anal Fin.
Furthermore, its teeth are actually pretty compressed in its mouth, which makes them
perfect for cutting.
The Birdbeak Dogfish Shark can live up to 35 years, and when a female gives birth, she
can sometimes have up to 17 in a litter!
This shark has been found in numerous places all over the world, from South Africa to the
Mediterranean Sea.
But, its range in the water is just as varied, as they've been seen anywhere from 200 feet
to 4700 feet below sea level!!
That’s pretty deep!!
4.
Speartooth Shark Sharks are usually associated with salt water,
but the Speartooth Shark is one of only six shark species in the world that are capable
of going into freshwater places.
Found mostly in Australia and New Guinea, (surprise surprise) these sharks have been
documented to actually go into rivers to get food.
These guys were only discovered in 1982!
It can grow up to 10 feet in length, and its large teeth make it very easy for it to catch
its prey.
Furthermore, they've adapted to be able to find food even in the murkiest of waters.
An interesting feature of the Speartooth Shark is that its second dorsal fin is actually
quite large in comparison to its other dorsal fin.
Even though scientists have tried to study these sharks, until recently none of them
have been captured at full maturity.
It was only just a couple of years ago that they were able to tag 2 adults.
So while 10 feet is what they feel the shark could reachduring its peak, it's potentially
capable of getting larger.
They look very much like bullsharks except for their teeth.
They weren’t named Spearsharks for nothing!!
They're really long and slender and they've got almost like a spear tip on the point.
Obviously when you're dealing with a live shark it's probably best for you to stay away
from its mouth!!
3.
Angular Roughshark Here is another example of a shark that doesn't
match up to its name in terms of size.
The Angular Roughsharks are very tiny sharks compared to their companions, only measuring
in at about 3 feet (1 m) in length, if not smaller.
What's more, their bodies are actually a bit more compact, thus giving them a rather distinct
look.
They look very triangular, and even more so with its two dorsal fins.
Also unlike most sharks, the Angular Roughshark is happy to just glide along the bottoms of
the oceans or seas that it inhabits looking for food.
It's not overly aggressive, which is why it seeks prey like shellfish and worms, aka creature
that don't put up much of a struggle.
Despite their very reserved nature, they are on the Endangered Species List, and in the
northeastern Atlantic they're practically gone due to overfishing.
They are often caught as bycatch and fishermen see them as bad luck and often toss them back
to sea, but sometimes it’s too late.
2.
Pyjama Shark The Pyjama Shark, also known as the Striped
Catshark, is yet another shark that has a unique body type.
It's very loose, and its head is much flatter than most sharks.
They aren't too big, as they only grow up to a little over 3 feet in length, but, they
are pretty cunning predators.
Off the coasts of South Africa where they live they'll actually hide in reefs and wait
for the perfect prey to come around, and then they'll strike.
But arguably what makes it the most unique is its defense mechanism.
When it feels threatened, the Pyjama Shark will actually roll itself up into a ball.
That way they can hide and protect their head, and hope that their predators think they're
just another formation on the ocean.
Interestingly enough, the biggest predator of the Pyjama Shark are other sharks (and
humans).
1.
Pocket Shark When it comes to rareness, the Pocket Shark
might just be the rarest shark in the world today.
I say this because only two have been found in history, and the second was found by accident.
During an expedition in Louisiana, several creatures were captured, and put in a freezer
in a laboratory.
One of these was a Pocket Shark, but they didn't know that at the time.
When they realized what they had, they immediately went to work to learn more about it.
The Pocket Shark lives up to its name, as the only two caught were 5.5 and 18 inches
(14cm and 45 cm) in length.
But what's even more interesting is that these two were found in very different places.
One was found off the waters of Peru, which have a very low temperature.
While the other was found in the Gulf of Mexico, which has much higher temperatures.
This suggests that this is a type of shark travels around and/or is comfortable in all
kinds of temperatures.
As for how they eat, it's believed that they don't eat fish whole, but take a bite out
of the fish, and settle for that.
Not much else is known about these little guys, but compared to other sharks, this one
would definitely fit in your pocket!!
Answer: And don’t worry!
I haven’t forgotten those of you who guessed the answer earlier!!
In case you forgot already, I asked: What are the 3 sharks that eat plankton in
the world??
I gave you one answer: the Megamouth shark.
The other 2 are the Whale shark and the Basking shark.
Thanks for watching!
Have you seen any of these sharks before??
Hoped you learned something new today!
Let me know what you think of these in the comments below!!
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