M+pelagious

Endangered Species Act it mouth is very large used for filter feeding has a highlt protrusible jaw very flexible tongue uses jaws and tongue to create vaccum to suck in food uses gills to filter oxygen from the water excess water is filtered oout through their gills has three rows of teeth, the lower teeth are larger than the top precaudal pits are present gill rakers are present as well it has weak muscles poorly calcified skeleton
 * MEGAMOUTH SHARK**
 * Animal Classification:**
 * Genus Megachasm
 * Species pelagios
 * Class Chondrichthytes
 * Order Lamniformes
 * Family Megachasmidae
 * Year Assesssed:** 2000
 * Justification:** This is a very rare fish throughout its range and could be caught by bycatch.
 * Location of ecosystem:** eastern middle and northwest Pacific Ocean, this fish is found in deep open ocean waters and is very rare
 * Latitude** is 0-60 north, Temperature 10-25 degrees celsius, Salinity is 33-35
 * Geologic processes**- Earthquake, sea-floor spreading, volcanoes, and subduction all occur in the pacific ocean
 * Currents:** North equatorial, Kuroshio, Oyashio, North Pacific
 * Tides:**The tidal range in this area is 0.39 feet.
 * Migration Patterns:** vertical migration travelling att very slow speeds
 * Population:** Unknown, only 41 specimans have ever been caught
 * Survival Trends:** Unknown
 * Appearence of species:** has a brownish-blackish color on top and then whiter underneath, large shark growing up to 18 feet and up to 2,800 pounds. This shark has a larger than normal mouth with small teeth and has a broad rounded snout.
 * Reproduction:** the shark has eggs in its body that develope so the shark gives birth to live young. From there the newly born sharks are on their own.
 * Anatomy:**
 * Food Chain:** there is one incident where a megamouth shark was attacked by sperm whales, as for its prey it feeds on mostly krill and other very small organisms that it can filter feed on
 * Economic Importance:** there is too little to known about this species to tel wether or not it has any medical value to us
 * Threats or Reasons for Endangerment:** There is so little known about this species or how many there really are and we only know what comes from bycatch. This is a extremely rare species so being caught as bycatch is a major problem.
 * Conservation Efforts:** This is a protected species because it is so rare and the fact that fishermen have caught them shows that the marine ecosystem where they are caught are doing well
 * Solutions:** I think that this species should be searched for more so that they can find out more information. Scientists should take out submersables to where the sharks have been caught so they could find and study them. i think that scientists need to find more information out about this animal before they can make anymore stricter or severe regulations regarding this animal

Scavenger Hunt Questions: 1) What are two examples of the anotomy of the Megamouth Shark? 2) What is the migration pattern for this shark? 3) What year was this shark assessed?

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