You’ve definitely never seen a shark like this! Scientists caught an extremely rare "goblin shark" off the Australian coast—it looks just like a creature from outer space!
Some have called this unusual shark "beautiful." Want to take a look?
This deep-sea monster, measuring 1.26 meters long, was accidentally caught by a trawler near Gabo Island back in January.Its appearance has gone viral on the Internet.
The Australian Museum announced the astonishing discovery over the weekend, and videos of it quickly caused a worldwide sensation.
Even seasoned marine biology experts admitted it was one of the most incredible specimens they’d ever seen in their careers!
But wait, there’s more to this story—what happened next is even wilder.
Before being brought to the museum, it was displayed at the Merimbula Marina Aquarium.
The shark’s body is an eerie pinkish-white, with flabby, slack skin, making it look like a deep-sea ghost from another planet.
What’s most shocking is that sword-like protrusion on its forehead, combined with those long, messy, needle-like teeth surrounding its mouth… It’s like a nightmare creature come to life!
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any stranger, the next detail will really capture your imagination.
The Australian Museum explained that the reason this rare goblin shark is so unusual lies in its "alien-like" jaws.
The museum’s fish collection manager, Mark McGrouther, told AFP: "I suspect because it has soft, flabby muscles, it doesn’t need much energy… So it slowly moves across the seabed using its snout like a metal detector."
It sweeps over the bottom, and when it detects a small fish, crab, or squid, it ‘shoots’ those jaws out—bang!—and catches it.
"It stabs the prey with those sharp fang-like teeth, then swallows it whole."
McGrouther also said he doesn’t think the shark is ugly—he finds it beautiful.
Well, I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
So, do you think the goblin shark is beautiful?
In conclusion, the unexpected appearance of the goblin shark is not only a precious discovery in Marine biology but also a gentle challenge to the boundaries of human cognition.
Its strange appearance like an alien creature, unique hunting mechanism, and the way it quietly survives in the dark deep sea all remind us that the deep ocean of the Earth is still a realm full of unknowns and wonders. As museum expert Mark Grout put it, "Beauty lies in the eyes of the viewer." Perhaps, the goblin shark is not the "beautiful" in our traditional aesthetic sense, but it is a spectacular performance in natural evolution - a mysterious love letter from the deep sea to the land, and a proof of the tenacious existence of life in extreme environments. The next time you look out at the sea, why not think about how many "alien visitors" like goblin sharks are quietly waiting to be understood and seen beneath that vast expanse of blue.
