Megamouth Sharks Were First Discovered Tangled in a U.S. Navy Sea Anchor

The world learned about this giant shark by accident during a military operation.

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The original specimen was preserved and studied extensively, leading to the creation of a completely new shark family.

The first known megamouth shark was discovered in 1976 when it became entangled in the sea anchor of a U.S. Navy research vessel near Oahu, Hawaii. The crew initially had no idea they had captured a species entirely unknown to science.

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Entire scientific fields had mapped continents and sequenced DNA, yet a multi-ton shark had evaded classification until it physically collided with naval equipment. Its discovery did not come from deliberate exploration, but from chance.

The event underscores a profound reality: modern technology can operate for decades across the oceans while undiscovered megafauna swim beneath it. Even in the age of satellites and submarines, the deep sea remains biologically incomplete.

Source

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

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