http://www.blogger.com/logout.g Lex Petros: Jurassic Shark?

Friday, January 26, 2007

Jurassic Shark?

"Can you see me for a while?", Yee Boon asked me over the phone yesterday evening. Definitely a ruse to get me to give my 2 cents worth on some car or watch he's seen on the internet...
On his notebook screen, a display of this prehistoric-looking creature swimming gently passing what would seem to be a diver with an underwater videocam (I could hear the bubbles being expelled from a regulator). Opague, blue eyes, slimy skin and a cats shark-like tail. Reports has it that this creature lives anywhere between 600 to 1000 meters below sea level. It's a real wonder that this rare find reached the shallow depths.

It's head shaped like a 'fer-de-lance' pit viper with flared out gills. Sadly, it was reported that this fish died within hours after being caught...speculation has it that it was weakened by the shallow water and eventually succumbed to the environment...


Frankly, it looks like an eel, which would not be surprising, since eels are part of the shark family...I think.Check out the real time clip (click here) of this hideous but intriguing looking marine creature on Channel 4 news.

I'll be the scentific community is scrambling to get a chance to open this fish up. Marine biologists and naturalists alike...well, if only I could chance upon a find like this when I go diving...