Skip to main content

Greenland Shark

Somniosus microcephalus
Today's Shark is one of my all time favorites-- they are just so unique! Greenland Sharks live farther north than any other Shark species in existence, swimming in the cold waters of Greenland, Iceland, and the North Atlantic. They can also grow to lengths over 20ft, allowing them to rival the Great White in size.

Greenland Sharks are such unusual creatures. While many other Sharks species are quick moving, these icy giants swim very very slowly (only around 1mph!). They also spend a great deal of time not moving at all-- another name for these guys is "Sleeper Shark" since they are so frequently inactive.

Don't let their slowness fool you! Greenland Sharks are still predators! They feed primarily on fish, but are also able to snatch up unsuspecting sea mammals as well. Horse, Polar Bear, and Reindeer remains have all been found in Greenland Shark stomachs, though how much of that was carrion is not quite known.

Greenland Sharks are solitary, but that doesn't mean that they are alone! They have a really bizarre relationship with a tiny crustacean known as Ommatokoita elongata. These copepods feed on the Sharks' eyes. The Sharks have impaired vision, since their corneal tissue is being gobbled up, but they don't use their eyesight all that much anyway. Besides, the partnership isn't completely one-sided. The parasites are bioluminescent, a trait that helps the Sharks to attract food!

The lifespan of the Greenland Shark is still a bit mysterious. Know one really knows how long they can live or when they reach maturity, but we do know that they grow very slow. A tagged Shark was re-captured 16 years after its original identification, and had only grown 8cm in that time-span (from 2.62m to 2.7m).

And before I leave you with a video of one of these guys, one final fact-- Greenland Shark skin is toxic! But that doesn't keep people from eating it. The skin is considered a delicacy in Greenland and Iceland, and must be repeatedly boiled in order to be safe for consumption.

IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : North Atlantic
Size : Length up to 21ft (6.4m)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Squaliformes
Family : Somniosidae -- Genus : Somniosus -- Species : S. microcephalus
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a
59 comments
Read more

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!
18 comments
Read more

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent
Post a Comment
Read more