Top 10 Strangest Shark Species

Long before humans were roaming beaches, before land had fully formed across our planet, and well, well before The Discovery Channel started celebrating Shark Week for thrill-seeking viewers worldwide, sharks were swimming in Earth’s oceans. In fact, the underwater beasts have been around for over 400 million years. It should come as no surprise, then, that over time the sharp-toothed creature has evolved into over 470 unique species. From miniscule worm-like sharks who feed on whales, to sharks with mouths the size of a bathtub, here are ten of the strangest types of sharks.

Number Ten : The Thresher Shark
Thresher sharks are most notable because of their unusual body shape. With tail fins stretching from 5 to 10 feet long, these sharks thrash their incredible tails in order to corner entire schools of fish for consumption. “Thrasher” might be a more fitting name for the oddly shaped predators. In spite of the large size of these creatures, the thresher shark only eats small fish. Their tails are also used as powerful weapons. With a full body lunge and a twist and flex of the tailfin, thresher sharks will push their tails over their heads, and slap them into a school of fish, shocking the tiny prey into submission. This incredible movement happens at an average of 30 miles per hour. One shark even whipped his tail at a whopping 80 miles per hour. That’s about twenty miles per hour faster than the speed limit of most highways in The United States. Thrasher Sharks are definitely one of the most impressive sharks in the ocean.

Number Nine The Great Hammerhead Shark
Most people have heard of hammerhead sharks, but not everyone knows that there are 9 separate species of hammerheads. The great hammerhead is the largest in the family, ranging from 15 to 20 feet in total length. Amazingly, these sharks are able to see 360 degrees at once, with full vision above, beneath, and in front of them at all times. Best of luck to any poor sea creature who tries to hide from this vicious predator. These sharks have a taste for stingrays, but they also like invertebrates, and even small sharks, hunting for their meals at dawn and dusk. Great hammerheads will actually eat the vulnerable stingrays whole after pinning them down with the mega strength of their flattened snouts. The great hammerheads could be dangerous if ever encountered on a diving trip, but they hardly ever go after humans.

Number Eight: Goblin Shark
Hammerhead sharks may have nine unique species within their family, but goblin sharks are just the opposite, existing as the only member of their kind. Their lineage dates back 125 million years, granting these long-nosed water beasts the nickname “living fossil.” With a mouth that opens up to 111 degrees and a jaw that can reach a full three inches outside of it, few fish are able to escape the wrath of the goblin. The freaky shark’s jaws are able to protrude from their mouths because they’re connected to a flap of skin that stretches three inches from its snout. Even so, one of the strangest features of the deep-sea creatures is their hue. Goblin sharks range in color from entirely translucent to bright pink. The sharks live closest to the country of Japan and got their name from fantastical goblins in Japanese folklore.

Number Seven: Cookiecutter Shark
Unlike the 10 to 20 feet statures of the first three sharks mentioned, cookiecutter sharks are one of the tiniest species of shark, stretching to a miniscule 50 centimeters. While the worm like creatures might look harmless at first glance, they actually feed off some of the largest animals in the ocean, from dolphins to whales. The tiny but blood thirsty predator suctions onto its unsuspecting feast and sinks its upper teeth into the prey’s skin to hold onto him. It then uses its razor-sharp bottom teeth to dig into its giant meal. The shark uses its biting bottom teeth to twist like a screw, pulling a circular chunk of flesh from the prey. This nearly perfect circle shape is what gave the cookiecutter shark its unique name. So, while something known as “cookiecutter” might seem totally harmless, a 50-centimeter-long shark that feasts on giant whales is nothing if not dangerous.