Japanese Rare

Posted in Japan on 12/27/2008 12:29 am by kaibyaku

Japanese Rare

Ok, now picture what a shark looks like. We've seen hammerhead sharks, and, well, the normal, scary type of shark - the one with the fin raised on the center of its body. Not these sharks - these are the rarely-seen, not-so-ordinary, blink-and-it-attacks-you shark.

It's been 33 years since Steven Spielberg made us afraid of sharks. Tons and tons of nature shows have proven that in the water, they are king; they are the bears and lions that attack the little nemos and spongebobs of the sea.

Prehistoric Shark - A lucky Japanese fisherman got more than he bargained for when he came in contact with this strange beast swimming off the coast of Japan. A rare frilled eel-like shark that's believed to be a prehistoric version of the monster we all know and fear.

The fisherman immediately got in touch with marine officials and the specimen was immediately transferred to Awashima Marine Park in Shizuoka, where, merely hours later, it died.

The shark, whose scientific name is Chlamydoselachus Anguineus, lives at a depth of 600 - 1400 meters underwater, deeper than where humans can go. It is very rarely seen, and/or captured on film, but apparently, this specimen was ill, therefore it was found in shallower waters, where the Japanese fisherman caught it.

Shark feet - Demetri Martin once joked about how he wasn't afraid of sharks - in a land situation. Well, as long as he doesn't step into Malaysia. A worker in the Malaysian Fisheries Development Board made an unusual claim that she was given a 3-pound shark ... with webbed feet.

A housewife was about to chop up the fish to cook when she noticed something odd about the shark - it had webbed feet. The head of the marine station at the University Sains Malaysian, Prof Dr Zulfigar Yasin says this is the first time that he had heard of a fish with legs in Malaysian waters.

To quote him, "As far as I am concerned, fish species with legs or bony fins can only be discovered in the waters of North Sulawesi in Indonesia or South Africa."

Goblin Shark - For the last one, here's the biggest, baddest, attack-you-while-you-swim shark discovery. Is it a special effect? An animatronic monster, perhaps? The first thing you've probably noticed is the weird shape of its head. What looks like a beak or snout protrudes from the front part of its head.

Again, a capture from Japan (Is it any wonder they find the coolest monsters there? Japan is where Godzilla lives!) by fishermen, this is the first ever specimen of the Mitsukurina in the "Black Current" off Yokohama. They dubbed it the "tenguzame," which translates to "goblin shark."

This shark is extremely rare, because they can only be found in the deep waters of Japan, South Africa, and somewhere in Portugal. Given that its snout is more of a handicap; it has protrusile jaws, making it possible for the shark to feed. Scientists have found that the "nose" is dotted with sensory cells, leading them to believe that its function is to help the shark find food in the deep. It feeds on deep-sea squid, crabs and other deep-sea creatures. This shark has been found swimming as deep as 4,000 feet. The first known goblin shark was 3.5 feet, but specimen that are as long as 14 feet has been discovered. (Imagine what would happen if it attacks you!)

There you have it, some rare and scary shark attacks waiting to happen (That is, if you swim in deep, deep waters.) Anyone care for a swim?

Neil Simon enjoys traveling a lot either all by himself or with his wife and his (now) grown-up kids. You can read more of Neil Simon's travel tips at Travel Nooks.