The Shark with a Spring-Loaded Face
Hidden in the deep sea, the goblin shark has a special trick for catching fish: its entire jaw detaches from its skull and shoots forward to snatch prey.
Specimen classification
Type
Deep-sea shark
Location
Deep oceans worldwide
Snout
Long and blade-like
Jaws
Slingshot action
In the crushing darkness of the deep sea, the goblin shark drifts like a pale ghost. It has a long, flattened snout that looks like a sword jutting out of its forehead.
But its nose isn't the scary part. When a fish swims too close, the goblin shark's entire jaw detaches from its skull and shoots forward to grab it.
Goblin Shark
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The Shovel Snout
The deep sea is completely dark, so the goblin shark doesn't rely on sight. Its enormous, flattened snout is packed with special pores called ampullae of Lorenzini.
These pores act like a metal detector, but instead of metal, they detect the tiny electrical signals made by the muscles of other fish. The shark swings its snout back and forth over the sand, sweeping for hidden prey.
The Slingshot Jaws
When the shark detects a crab or fish, it doesn't need to swim fast to catch it. Instead, it engages a mechanism unique among sharks.
Its jaws are attached to its skull by elastic ligaments. When it opens its mouth, the tension releases, and the entire jaw rapidly catapults forward out of its face. The jaws snap shut on the prey, then retract back into the head.
Science bit
The jaw shoots forward at over 3 meters per second. The whole extension and retraction takes a fraction of a second.
Nail-like Teeth
The goblin shark doesn't have the triangular, serrated teeth of a great white shark. Instead, its mouth is full of long, thin, curved needles.
These teeth aren't made for cutting; they are made for snagging. In the deep sea, food is scarce and often slippery, like squid. Once those needle teeth pierce a soft body, escape is impossible.
Weird detail
Because of its pinkish-grey color and flabby body, Japanese fishermen originally called it tenguzame—named after a mythical goblin with a long nose.
Dr. Icky's verdict
“A face only a mother could love, and even then, she probably jumps out of the way when the jaws shoot out. Absolute deep-sea perfection.”
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