Celebrate the wonder and variety of these ancient, much-misunderstood fish in our list of the weirdest sharks in our oceans
Sharks have long fascinated humans, often depicted as the ultimate ocean predators. Yet, beneath the surface, there exists a diverse world beyond the Great White.
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These unusual creatures, with their unique adaptations and extraordinary appearances, showcase the incredible diversity of marine life and the marvels of evolution.
Our pick of the weirdest sharks
The walking shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)
Yes you heard that right – there’s a walking shark. The epaulette shark walks on its paddle-shaped fins both in and out of the water.
It can also swim to make a fast getaway, but as often as not it gets about by clambering over the seabed.
Swell shark (Cephaloscylum ventriosum)
The so-called swell shark, which is found near temperate reefs in the eastern Pacific ocean, truly lives up to its name.
When threatened – usually by a hungry sealion or larger shark – this slender, metre-long bottom-dweller slips into a crevice and inflates its body like a rubber raft.
Within seconds, the shark is twice its original size and wedged in place. And it is almost impossible to yank it out.
Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrnidae)
Surely the weird looking head of the aptly named hammerhead is strange enough to earn it a place on out weirdest animals and weirdest fish lists?
The explanation behind the shape of the hammerhead’s head has long been debated. While undoubtedly giving the sharks extra lift, the ‘hammer’ – or cephalofoil, as it’s technically called – may also help them make sharper turns in the water.
Frilled shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus)
Did the frilled shark inspire sea serpent legends? This slinky shark resembles an eel with a long, slender body and frilled gills.
Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)
A Greenland shark’s life expectancy is at least 272 years, making it the oldest living of all vertebrate animals known to science. The sharks reach sexual maturity at around 150-years-old, with the largest animal estimated to be around 400-years-old – imagine what they have seen and lived through..
Goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)
The deep-sea goblin shark is a fish unlike any other. It possesses an elongated, spade-shaped snout lined with electro-receptors, primitive nail-like teeth and highly protrusible jaws.
Fossil specimens, dead ringers for the modern species, have been discovered in 125-million-year-old rocks, making the goblin shark a good example of a ‘living fossil’.
Cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis)
The cookiecutter shark brings a whole new meaning to the idiom ‘take a chunk out of it’.
This small shark is notorious for its feeding method, taking circular bites out of larger animals with its suction-cup lips and razor-sharp teeth. Does that count as fast food? Ooh I fancy a bit of that as a dolphin swims by…
Sawshark (Pristiophoriformes)
This aptly-named shark is famous for its saw-like snout edged with sharp teeth, used for slashing through schools of fish. It can even clear up afterwards by nipping back and vacuuming the casualties.
We reckon it is also a dab-hand at DIY – and cleaning projects – although you wouldn’t want to get too close!
Wobbegong (Orectolobidae)
The weird-looking wobbegong shark is a master of disguise and camouflage. Its name means ‘shaggy beard’ in an Australian Aboriginal language, a reference to the fringe of tassels around its snout. Together with its mottled colour, these help it blend in with its coral-reef background, safe from predators and ready to ambush any passing fish.
Thresher shark (Alopias)
Fish aren’t particularly known their long tails, but there’s one who has a tail as long as its body – the thresher shark. The shark uses its extremely long, whip-like tail to stun prey, typically small fish, with powerful slaps.
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
Deferring only to the whale shark in size, the basking shark is Britain’s largest fish by a metaphorical country mile. Matching a double-decker bus in length and tipping the scales at about seven tonnes, these gargantuan dimensions may give the impression of a fearsome monster. Their appearance, however, belies their true nature: basking sharks definitely fall into the category of ‘gentle giant’. Despite their immense size, basking sharks are not dangerous to humans. A filter feeder, this shark swims slowly with its mouth open to consume plankton.
Angel shark
The angel shark, a master of camouflage, looks as if it’s half way between a shark and a ray and they only grow to about 2.4 metres long. The have large, billowing fins on their sides, and two small dorsal fins perched atop the tail. They look like they’ve been compressed, and it’s advantageous for them to be as flat as possible as they spend most of their time buried in the sand on the sea bottom.
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