A similar frilled shark that was found in Japan way back in 2007 made an appearance off the Australian coast last month, and it appears that the prehistoric shark didn't make a good impression to the man who caught it.
According to 11 Alive, a skipper named David Guillot made a surprising discovery last month when he went fishing for sea perch.
However, instead of getting amazed at the rare sighting, Guillot admitted that he was actually more scared than elated to have seen the frilled shark that was previously found in Japan.
"The head on it was like something out of a horror movie," Guilt said before adding, "It was quite horrific looking ... It was quite scary actually,"
To be honest, Guillot's reaction was actually very valid since the frilled shark's face was quite bizarre and certainly monstrous.
But to scientists, the 300-toothed frilled shark is like a gem since it is known as a "living fossil."
Frilled sharks typically live in ocean depths below 400 meters. ironically, the one that was found in the Australian coast was swimming in water more than a kilometer deep.
"I've been at sea for 30 years and I've never seen a shark look like that," Guilllot said, according to Sydney Morning Herald.
He described his unique catch as something that resembles "a large eel" with the head of a shark.
Biologist Mark Meekan at the Australian Institute of Marine Science says frilled sharks are usually found in the waters off New Zealand, Japan, the British Isles, Spain and even in Northern Africa.
Simon Boag from the South East Trawl Fishing Association said that the frilled fish found in the Australian waters really looked prehistoric.
"It does look 80 million years old. It looks prehistoric, it looks like it's from another time!" he said.
Back in Jan. 27, 2007, a Japanese fisherman also found a frilled shark swimming near the surface of the water, reports E Canada Now.
Reports said at the time that the prehistoric shark appeared ill and weak due to the warm water. When it was broth to Awashima Marine Park in Shizuoka for observation, it died a few hours later.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
