 the megamouth shark (megachasma pelagios) is an extremely rare species of deepwater shark, and the smallest of the three planktivorous sharks besides the whale shark and basking shark. since its discovery in 1976, few megamouth sharks have been seen, with 59 specimens known to have been caught or sighted as of may 2014, including three recordings on film. like the other two filter feeders, it swims with its enormous mouth wide open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. it is distinctive for its large head with rubbery lips. it is so unlike any other type of shark that it is usually considered to be the sole extant species in the distinct family megachasmidae, though suggestion has been made that it may belong in the family cetorhinidae, of which the basking shark is currently the sole extant member. in addition to the living m. pelagios, however, two extinct megamouth species â the cretaceous m. comanchensis and the oligocene-miocene m. applegatei â have also recently been proposed on the basis of fossilised tooth remains.shimada, k. 2007. mesozoic origin for megamouth shark (lamniformes: megachasmidae). journal of vertebrate paleontology 27:512â516. (link at bioone)shimada, k., welton, b.j., and long, d.j. 2014. a new fossil megamouth shark (lamniformes, megachasmidae) from the oligocene-miocene of the western united states. journal of vertebrate paleontology 34:281-290. ==physical characteristics== the appearance of the megamouth is distinctive, but little else is known about it. it has a brow
Animals_described_in_1983 IUCN_Red_List_data_deficient_species Monotypic_fish_genera Ovoviviparous_fish