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Weird blobfish-looking sofa shark discovered in Scottish waters for first time
www.ibtimes.co.uk ^ | September 29, 2015 12:44 BST | By Hannah Osborne

Posted on 09/30/2015 8:19:29 AM PDT by Red Badger

The sofa shark had never been found in Scottish waters before - Scottish Shark Tagging Programme ======================================================================================================================

A species of shark that looks like a massive blobfish has been discovered off the coast of Scotland for the first time. The false catfish (also known as a sofa shark) was found by scientists conducting a deep sea survey with Marine Scotland.

Pseudotrakias microdon live at depths of between 500m and 1,400m. For this reason, they are rarely encountered but have been caught in locations around the world, including the western Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. They normally swim close to the sea floor and only occasionally come into shallower water over the continental shelf.

The sofa shark is easily recognisable, reaching up to three metres in length and having long, narrow eyes, a large mouth and a broad head with a short, rounded snout. It also has large flaps of skin on the anterior rims of the nostrils.

Sofa sharks have large flabby muscles and an oily liver (which makes up 25% of its total weight) making it a slow-moving predator. It is its large liver that allows it to hover over the bottom of the ocean with little effort. It normally eats bony fishes like eels, along with squid, octopus and shrimp.

The species has never before been found in Scottish waters and brings the number of elasmobranchs living there to 72. "This is not a species that has previously been found in Scottish waters and is a welcome addition to our list," the Scottish Shark Tagging Programme said.


TOPICS: Outdoors; Pets/Animals; Science; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: blobfish; elasmobranchs; falsecatfish; shark; sofa; sofashark; weird
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To: Ken H

This is what Hillary looks like undressed.

No need to insult the shark.

_______________________

You guys are so funny!


21 posted on 09/30/2015 9:18:21 AM PDT by patriot08 (4th geneneration Texam (girl type))
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To: Red Badger

it’s Nessie !!!


22 posted on 09/30/2015 9:28:01 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana

Last week, Japanese scientists explaced... placed explosive detonators at the bottom of Lake Loch Ness to blow Nessie out of the water. Sir Cort Godfrey of the Nessie Alliance summoned the help of Scotland’s local wizards to cast a protective spell over the lake and its local residents and all those who seek for the peaceful existence of our underwater ally.


23 posted on 09/30/2015 9:29:39 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Riley
‘Sofa Shark’- heh. Sounds like a euphemism for hormonal teenage boys or something.

Is a "sofa shark" anything like a "lounge lizard?"

24 posted on 09/30/2015 9:30:05 AM PDT by GreenHornet
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To: Red Badger

The Blob-Pipe Sharke!


25 posted on 09/30/2015 9:35:56 AM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: Larry Lucido
Definitely my new living-room decor. My fiancee will love it.


26 posted on 09/30/2015 9:45:19 AM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: Rodamala

It’s Sofa King DEAD.....................


27 posted on 09/30/2015 9:48:42 AM PDT by Red Badger (READ MY LIPS: NO MORE BUSHES!...............)
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To: MrB

Very..................


28 posted on 09/30/2015 9:49:47 AM PDT by Red Badger (READ MY LIPS: NO MORE BUSHES!...............)
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To: Larry Lucido

‘Okay, I only hit “Post” once.’

Hit it, hit it, hit it...quit it!

Maybe that should be advice for Laz instead.


29 posted on 09/30/2015 10:16:28 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine; Lazamataz

Laz would hit Emily Post once.

He would hit Markie Post multiple times.


30 posted on 09/30/2015 10:30:29 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: MrB

“Sofa King Ugly?”

I had to say it fast three times, LOL.


31 posted on 09/30/2015 11:45:37 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Pearls Before Swine

We’re not supposed to make such jokes...


32 posted on 09/30/2015 11:46:09 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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