With rows of long needle like teeth sticking out in every direction, the ragged toothed shark appears permanently grumpy and ready for trouble. Yet despite its fearsome appearance, it is surprisingly calm around humans and is considered one of the less aggressive large sharks in the ocean.
One of its most amazing abilities is how it controls its buoyancy. Unlike many sharks that must keep swimming to avoid sinking, the ragged toothed shark gulps air at the surface and stores it in its stomach. This turns the shark into a living submarine, allowing it to hover almost motionless through the water while conserving energy.
Female ragged toothed sharks have one of the strangest reproductive strategies in the animal kingdom. Inside the womb, the first embryo to hatch will eat its siblings before birth, ensuring only the strongest pups survive. Nature can be wonderfully weird and brutally efficient at the same time.
Growing up to around 3.5 metres long, these sharks patrol coastal waters hunting fish, squid and smaller sharks. Their intimidating smile might make them look like ocean villains, but they play an important role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.
The ragged toothed shark feels right at home in Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet because it is a creature many people have never heard of, despite looking like it escaped from a pirate’s nightmare. It is a reminder that some of the most fascinating animals on Earth are not always the most famous. Sometimes the weirdest smiles belong to the most remarkable survivors.
R is for Ragged Toothed Shark. An underwater oddball with a mouth full of daggers and a talent for floating like a ghost beneath the waves.
Kids Book Illustrator Andy C Marshall 