Rare Shark That Inspired Sea Monster Myths Is Caught
Frilled sharks are rarely seen denizens of the deep that resemble their dinosaur-era ancestors.
With its gaping, tooth-filled mouth and its slender, eel-like body, it’s not hard to see why scientists think the frilled shark may have inspired ancient tales of sea monsters. Looking like something out of a nightmare, the deep-sea creature is rarely seen. But fishers in Australia pulled one up this week.
The frilled shark is often called a “living fossil” because it is thought to have changed little in about 80 million years. The fish also bears a resemblance to ancestor species that lived during the time of the dinosaurs.
On Tuesday, Australian media reported that a fishing trawler pulled up a six-foot-long (two-meter) frilled shark in waters near Lakes Entrance off southeastern Victoria, Australia.
Simon Boag of Australia’s South
