Megamouth Shark
Megachasma pelagios
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Sharks and rays
The megamouth shark is a species of deepwater shark. Rarely seen by humans, it measures around 4–5.5 m (13–18 ft) long and is the smallest of the three extant filter-feeding sharks alongside the much larger whale shark and basking shark. According to Sharkman's World Organization, a total of 296 specimens have been observed or caught since its discovery in 1976. Like the other two planktivorous sharks, it swims with its mouth wide open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. The diet of megamouth sharks mainly consists of zooplanktonic organisms like krill, jellyfish, shrimp larvae, squat lobsters, and crab larvae. It is recognizable from its large head with rubbery lips.
Classification
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Lamniformes
- Family
- Megachasmidae
- Genus
- Megachasma