The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a rare species of deep-sea shark. Sometimes called a “living fossil,” it is the only extant representative of the Mitsukurinidae family, a lineage about 125 million years old. This pink-skinned animal has a distinctive profile with an elongated, flattened snout and highly protrusible jaws containing prominent nail-like teeth. It is usually between 3 and 4 meters long when mature, although it can grow considerably larger. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Goblin sharks inhabit upper continental slopes, underwater canyons, and seamounts throughout the world at depths greater than 100 m (330 ft), with adults found deeper than juveniles. Various anatomical features of the goblin shark, such as its flaccid body and small fins, suggest that it is sluggish in nature. This species hunts teleost fish, cephalopods and crustaceans both near the seabed and in the center of the water column. Its long snout is covered with ampullae of Lorenzini which allow it to perceive tiny electric fields produced by nearby prey, which it can grasp by rapidly expanding its jaws. A small number of goblin sharks are unintentionally caught by deep-sea fishing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has rated it as Least Concern, despite its rarity, citing its wide distribution and low incidence of capture. So how do goblin sharks hunt prey when they live in such a deep, dark environment? Well, like all sharks, they have a specialized sense organ called the “ampulla of Lorenzini,” which is found on the shark's snout. The ampullae of Lorenzini allow the shark to detect even the weakest electrical impulses emitted by the living beings around it. The long snout of the goblin shark means that its ampullae of Lorenzini are widely distributed along the length and are particularly sensitive, compared to those of other species. Since the flaccid short-finned goblin shark probably isn't much of a speed demon, it probably doesn't chase its prey like, say, the super-fast great white shark. Rather, scientists believe that its low-density flesh and enormous oily liver serve to make the goblin shark more buoyant so that it can ambush its prey by floating ever closer with minimal fin movements, making it difficult for the dinner perceive his presence. . Once it's close enough, the jaws extend and open, and the shark grabs or sucks it in like an underwater vacuum cleaner. The goblin shark surprisingly will not harm a human, but mostly because it lives so deep in the ocean. If the goblin shark is kept in human captivity, its life will last very short. The goblin shark is not extinct, it is the least worried.
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