The rare Viper dogfish is a sea-dwelling creature with a similarity to Ridley Scott’s fearsome fictional alien
It looks like something out of a horror movie, but these creatures are actually from the bottom of the ocean.
The extremely rare “Viper dogfish” boasts and extendable jaw that helps it reach out and snatch prey – just like the alien from Ridley Scott’s famous sci-fi movie.
Although the little-seen creatures were first identified in 1986, very little has been seen of them since. Until now.
Five specimens were found during a routine fish survey being carried out off the coast of Taiwan.
According to a statement from the Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute, only one of the five was still alive when they were caught at a depth of around 350m (1,2148ft).
The sharks measure between 25 and 30cm and have cells called photophores that produce light, giving them a luminescence under water.
“The upper and lower jaws can be extended forward with prehensile canals to prey on prey,” explained the Institute.
The sharks fees on bony fish and smaller crustaceans. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the creatures as “data deficient” as so little is known about them.
The largest recorded specimen stands at 54cm long and, despite the name, the creatures are not dangerous to humans.
