frilled shark
Living fossil fish
A frilled shark is a deep-sea shark with a long, eel-like body and rows of frilly-edged gills that give it its name.
Rarely seen alive, it inhabits ocean depths and is sometimes called a "living fossil" for its primitive features.
The species appears occasionally in nature documentaries about bizarre deep-sea creatures.
Very old indeed
- primordialExisting from the start
- living fossilOrganism unchanged since prehistory
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- MesozoicAge of Reptiles
evolution · ancestral · relic · paleontology · unchanged · primitive · survivor · lineage
Stretched beyond usual dimensions
- eel-likeElongated and sinuous
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
- gill slitsRespiratory openings in fish
- tricuspidHaving three projections
cartilaginous · streamlined · sinuous · slender · dorsal fin · ampullae · spiracle · snout
Extremely deep, unmeasurable
- mesopelagicMid-depth ocean layer
- benthicOf the sea bottom
- submarine canyonUnderwater valley cutting continental shelf
- darknessTotal absence of light
pressure · bioluminescence · submersible · sonar · trench · seafloor · hydrothermal · depths
Hard to find
- rareSeldom found or seen
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
- enigmaticPuzzling and obscure
- unknownNot yet discovered
cryptozoology · sea serpent · undocumented · ghostly · phantom · secretive · unfathomable · discovery
Surprise strike from concealment
- lungingSudden forward movement
- preyAnimal being hunted
- squidTen-armed marine mollusk
- cephalopodTentacled marine mollusk class
fish-eater · teeth · strike · hunting · nocturnal · solitary · opportunistic · swallowing
ancient
Very old indeed
- primordialExisting from the start
- living fossilOrganism unchanged since prehistory
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
Mesozoic · evolution · ancestral · relic · paleontology · unchanged · primitive · survivor · lineage · eel-like
elongated
Stretched beyond usual dimensions
- eel-likeElongated and sinuous
- serpentineCurving in repeated bends
- gill slitsRespiratory openings in fish
tricuspid · cartilaginous · streamlined · sinuous · slender · dorsal fin · ampullae · spiracle · snout
abyssal
Extremely deep, unmeasurable
- mesopelagicMid-depth ocean layer
- benthicOf the sea bottom
- submarine canyonUnderwater valley cutting continental shelf
darkness · pressure · bioluminescence · submersible · sonar · trench · seafloor · hydrothermal · depths · low-light
elusive
Hard to find
- rareSeldom found or seen
- mysteriousBeyond easy comprehension
- enigmaticPuzzling and obscure
unknown · cryptozoology · sea serpent · undocumented · ghostly · phantom · secretive · unfathomable · discovery · specimen
ambush
Surprise strike from concealment
cephalopod · fish-eater · teeth · strike · hunting · nocturnal · solitary · opportunistic · swallowing · camouflage
frilled sharkgreat white shark
Largest predatory fish
mako shark · hammerhead shark · tiger shark · whale shark · blue shark
frilled sharknurse shark
Slow-moving coastal elasmobranch
lemon shark · whale shark · basking shark · great white shark · blue shark
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