80-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur-Era Shark Found Off Portuguese Coast

By Fattima Mahdi,
A mysterious ‘dinosaur’ shark was captured off the Portuguese coast by a fisherman and has been dubbed as a “living fossil” by scientists. The species dates back 80 million years and makes it one of the very few creatures from the dinosaur ages that is still around.

The discovery adds to the list of very few sharks recently found in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. This deep sea creature usually lies at a depth of 390 and 4,200 feet below the surface, which is one one of the main reasons it was not discovered before the 19th century.

The prehistoric fish is 1.5 metres in length and was caught off the resort of Portimao at a depth of 700 metres. With a long and slim body, the shark resembles a snake and bears 300 teeth. Judging by remains which have been previously found, the species has been swimming in the sea for a very long time.

Researchers were in the area working on a project when the beast was found. They are now studying the frilled shark and hope to learn more about the elusive species. This rare find means that there is plenty they can learn about how animals coexist in the depths of the ocean.

Image credit: SIC Noticias