The goblin shark, a creature of the deep sea, has a distinctive appearance. Often called a “living fossil,” this rare shark possesses unique features. Its deep-sea habitat generates interest in its nature and well-being.
Discovering the Goblin Shark
This species, scientifically known as Mitsukurina owstoni, was first described in 1898 from a specimen caught off Japan’s coast. Its most striking feature is an elongated, flattened snout, resembling a blade, which overhangs its mouth. This rostrum is covered with specialized sensory organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, which detect the faint electrical fields produced by prey in the dark deep-sea environment. The shark’s jaws are also highly protrusible, able to extend rapidly forward to snatch prey like a slingshot.
The goblin shark has a soft, flabby body with pinkish skin, a result of blood vessels close to the surface. Adults measure between 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) in length, with some reaching up to 6 meters (20 feet). They live in upper continental slopes, submarine canyons, and seamounts across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, at depths greater than 100 meters (330 feet).
Understanding its Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the goblin shark as a species of “Least Concern.” This means it does not meet criteria for being threatened with extinction. Its wide distribution across the world’s oceans contributes to this assessment.
The “Least Concern” status reflects the low incidence of goblin sharks caught in fishing operations. While occasionally captured as bycatch in deep-sea trawls, longlines, and gillnets, they are not a target for commercial fisheries. This limited interaction with human activities plays a role in their conservation status.
Challenges in Assessing Deep-Sea Species
Despite its “Least Concern” status, knowledge about the goblin shark’s population size and trends remains limited. Studying deep-sea environments presents significant challenges due to extreme conditions like immense pressure, near-freezing temperatures, and perpetual darkness. These factors make direct observation and data collection difficult and costly.
Research expeditions to these depths require specialized vessels and submersible equipment, making them expensive and resource-intensive. Deep-sea organisms are often fragile and can be damaged or distorted when brought to the surface due to drastic pressure changes. This makes obtaining and preserving specimens for study complex, contributing to the limited understanding of many deep-sea species, including the goblin shark.
Outlook for the Goblin Shark
Given its deep-sea habitat, the goblin shark is less vulnerable to surface fishing pressures affecting shallower species. Its remote habitat shields it from human interactions. However, theoretical concerns like deep-sea mining or climate change affecting deep-sea ecosystems could introduce future considerations for its habitat. Continued, challenging research aims to understand this deep-sea inhabitant.