Greenland shark
Somniosus microcephalus
The Greenland shark is a massive, slow-moving shark that inhabits the cold, deep waters of the Arctic and the North Atlantic. It has a strong, cylindrical body with dark gray to brownish coloring and relatively small fins. Its skin is rough and often covered with tiny parasites. Its eyes are usually cloudy, and sometimes a parasitic crustacean lives on them, which can impair its vision. Nevertheless, it is able to navigate well in the dark depths, where it hunts fish, carcasses, and larger marine animals. Thanks to its extremely slow movement, it appears inconspicuous, but it is a persistent and efficient predator adapted to life in icy conditions.
VulnerableMax. délka: 7.0 m
Hmotnost: 1000 kg
Habitat: the cold waters of the Arctic and the North Atlantic
Zajímavosti
⏳ It can live up to 400 years—the longest-living vertebrate🐢 It is one of the slowest sharks in the world
👁️ It often has a parasitic crustacean on its eye, which impairs its vision
🧊 It lives in the icy depths, where there is very little light
🦭 It can catch even larger prey, such as seals
💤 Thanks to its slow metabolism, it can go a long time without food
