Researchers at the Smithsonian Institute are studying one of the rarest creatures in the sea – the ‘Megamouth’ shark.
The specimen, found by Taiwanese fishers in 2018, currently sits frozen on a block of ice at the Museum of Natural History.
A megamouth shark that was captured by fishers off the coast of Taiwan in 2018 is sitting on a gigantic block of ice at the Smithsonian. Researchers hope to unravel clues about this mysterious animal's life, but they will be working against the clock. https://t.co/LAbO4ziCU1
— CNN (@CNN) August 12, 2020
The Megamouth can grow up to 17 feet long and is known for its rounded head and a mouth that opens wide “like a convertible hood”. It was first discovered in 1976 and has only been spotted in the wild about 70 times total.
Scientists hope the Megamouth can teach them more about how sharks and other marine creatures evolved over time.
