Species learning profile

Tiburón duende

Mitsukurina owstoni

Goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a saltwater fish associated with deep sea habitat in Global. Its jaws shoot forward rapidly to seize prey.

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Arte original de la colección Fishdle de Tiburón duende
Fuente de la ilustración: Fishdle · CC BY 4.0

At a glance

Agua
Agua salada
Habitat
Mar profundo
Longitud máxima
620 cm
Distribución
Todo el mundo
Familia
Mitsukurinidae
Orden
Lamniformes

Observe

How to identify Tiburón duende

  • Pale pinkish grey.
  • Soft-bodied with a long flat snout and jaws that project forward.
  • Reported maximum length: 620 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with deep sea habitat across Global. Food is scarce and sunlight is absent or faint, favoring energy-saving movement and specialized senses.

Behavior

Uses deep sea habitat for feeding, shelter, migration, or reproduction.

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

A species-specific mix of plant material, plankton, invertebrates, or other fish.

Ecological role

It is part of the biological pump that moves food and carbon between surface water and the deep ocean..

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Tiburón duende puede medir unos 620 cm y suele encontrarse cerca de Mar profundo.

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

Deep-sea animals often grow slowly, and recovery can be difficult after habitat disturbance or heavy fishing.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with Goblin shark in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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