# The weirdest - maybe scariest? - shark you've ever seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407 "2007-01-25T14:21:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/1 "2007-01-25T14:21:52Z")
[http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html) WTF? That’s just _wrong_. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/2 "2007-01-25T14:24:51Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] …WTF? That’s just _wrong_. [/QUOTE] the video is high-octane nightmare fuel. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/3 "2007-01-25T14:24:58Z")
It was photographed just before death. I think it died of embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/4 "2007-01-25T14:30:22Z")
I’m carrying a chisel at all times now, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/5 "2007-01-25T14:36:03Z")
We were on a Whale-Watching cruise out of Boston, and we saw a Whale Shark behind a sailing yacht. This was no small yacht, but the Whale Shark was right behind it, just under water (so it was clearly visible), and was _much_ bigger than the boat. It looked scary and impressive as hell. We all knew it was a Whale Shark, and that Whale Shark ate krill and other itty bitties, and not people, but we were still blown away by it. Of course, we didn’t have a camera. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/6 "2007-01-25T15:18:34Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] We were on a Whale-Watching cruise out of Boston, and we saw a Whale Shark behind a sailing yacht. This was no small yacht, but the Whale Shark was right behind it, just under water (so it was clearly visible), and was _much_ bigger than the boat. It looked scary and impressive as hell. We all knew it was a Whale Shark, and that Whale Shark ate krill and other itty bitties, and not people, but we were still blown away by it. Of course, we didn’t have a camera. [/QUOTE] You should have demanded a refund. It’s a _whale_-watching tour, not shark watching. Whale sharks, despite the name, do not qualify. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/7 "2007-01-25T15:24:08Z")
Here’s another photo of the species. [http://www.marinethemes.com/aasearchfiles/Sixgills/images/S01A01%2035920.jpg](http://www.marinethemes.com/aasearchfiles/Sixgills/images/S01A01%2035920.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/8 "2007-01-25T15:25:25Z")
And another [http://filin.vn.ua/fish/images/c.anguineus1.jpg](http://filin.vn.ua/fish/images/c.anguineus1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/9 "2007-01-25T15:46:51Z")
Crap! That thing looks like part shark/part eel. :shudders: ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/10 "2007-01-25T15:49:28Z")
Strange, but curiously pretty. I’m sorry the little thing died though. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/11 "2007-01-25T16:11:47Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] [http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html) WTF? That’s just _wrong_. [/QUOTE] Ladies, if that picture doesn’t scare you into keeping your virginity, Nothing will. 😃 …don’t sharks chase after blood? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Silence\_of\_the\_clams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Silence\_of\_the\_clams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silence_of_the_clams)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/12 "2007-01-25T16:20:44Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] [http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/24/shark.japan.reut/index.html) WTF? That’s just _wrong_. [/QUOTE] Squee, isn’t it adorable! That thing came all the way from about a thousand meters depth to visit us. I wonder if they took out the stomach contents to see what it had eaten. Look at those teeth! Here’s some more [fun facts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlamydoselachus_anguineus) about it. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/13 "2007-01-25T16:32:39Z")
I wonder how it tastes? ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/14 "2007-01-25T16:35:09Z")
While watching the sharks episode of the “Most Extreme” show on television, I saw one that will probably give me nightmares, the angel shark. It hides on the bottom of the ocean, covered in sand. When something tasty makes the mistake of passing in front of the shark, it explodes off the sea bed, with its huge toothy mouth wide open. For a video of the shark in action, see [http://www.metacafe.com/watch/75636/angel\_shark/](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/75636/angel_shark/) ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/15 "2007-01-25T16:35:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Frilled sharks, which **feed on other sharks** and sea creatures, are sometimes caught in the nets of trawlers but are rarely seen alive. Definitely not a shark to mess with! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/16 "2007-01-25T16:59:01Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] We were on a Whale-Watching cruise out of Boston, and we saw a Whale Shark behind a sailing yacht. [/QUOTE] Color me jealous. The sharkiest thing I’ve seen on a whale watch (and I’ve been on many) was a basking shark. The girly wimp of sharks. > [@](#): > > Marine park staff caught the 5 foot (1.6 meter) long creature, which they identified as a female frilled shark, sometimes referred to as a “living fossil” because it is a primitive species that has changed little since prehistoric times. Wow. Impressive. It’s changed little in the past 10,000 years. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/17 "2007-01-25T17:32:09Z")
What an amazing creature that is. I hope there are more where it came from, down in the inky blackness. One of the most vivid memories from my childhood is seeing a large shark and manta ray on display back in the early 60’s. My dad was stationed outside Honolulu, and we went to a fair of some sort where they had a huge porta-pool set up. There was a deck set up where you could look right down on the shark and the ray. I was overcome by a sense of primal fear, yet mesmerized at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![jay-c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jay-c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jay-c)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/18 "2007-01-25T18:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=Count Blucher] Ladies, if that picture doesn’t scare you into keeping your virginity, Nothing will. 😃 …don’t sharks chase after blood? :eek: [/QUOTE] Technically, shouldn’t that encourage us to lose it as soon as possible? Because the only time we aren’t going to menstruate is when we’re pregnant. You know, just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/19 "2007-01-25T18:11:14Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] It was photographed just before death. I think it died of embarrassment. [/QUOTE] Aww, come on. It’s not the shark’s fault that it’s freaky and terrifying. Freaky frilled sharks need love too. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407/20 "2007-01-25T18:33:05Z")
[QUOTE=jay-c] Technically, shouldn’t that encourage us to lose it as soon as possible? Because the only time we aren’t going to menstruate is when we’re pregnant. [/QUOTE] Wow. “Because I want someone to carry on my name.” “Because I want to bring life into the world.” “Because I have a need to nurture.” “Because I love my spouse.” “Because I might menstruate at a depth of 2000 feet and then a freaky looking shark will eat me.” Which one of these strikes you as an odd reason to concieve? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-weirdest-maybe-scariest-shark-youve-ever-seen/389407.md?page=2)