Have you ever heard the word thalassophobia before? Odds are you had no idea this word existed, although you’re probably familiar with its meaning. But thanks to the internet and way too much caffeine, I can now assuage your newfound curiosity. Thalassophobia, besides just sounding super cool, has an equally interesting meaning! Do you remember on vacation, when you looked over the edge of a boat into the depths of the ocean below, and felt your stomach turn at the deep, dark abyss yawning back at you? Then, do you recall thinking about all the creepy-crawly and slimy creatures lurking in the dark, just waiting for you to dip in a toe before they struck, dragging you to an inevitable demise at the bottom of the sea?
If you have a similar memory, then congrats; You’ve already survived a mild form of thalassophobia, also known as the fear of oceans! On the other hand, if my description triggered a spiral into anxiety or panic, I recommend not reading beyond this point, because it’s about to get a LOT worse. Please visualize all the unknown creepy-crawlies mentioned above, the ones that don’t really exist, that are just the product of your overactive imagination. From now on, we’re going to get very personal with them, starting with the creature pictured right below.
Allow me the honor of introducing you to the one and only… frilled shark! While they typically reside in depths of around 5000 feet, the first documented specimen was found in only about 5-foot-deep water just off the coast of Japan (“Deep-Sea Creature Photos”). While the odds of ever meeting this bundle of teeth are slim, they are not non-existent, so bear this in mind if you ever visit Awashima.
Considered to be a “living fossil”, frilled sharks genetically resemble prehistoric fish, such as the megalodon, than the great white shark of today. Seven feet in length, these dinosaur–like predator swim by wiggling their torsos and steering with small fins, similar to a modern eel. Spending most of their time in the pitch-black depths of the sea, they also lack properly developed eyesight. Instead, they are one of only a few species alive today with outer-facing mechanoreceptive hair cells, an evolutionarily “primitive” characteristic. In simpler terms, this means frilled sharks still sense and hunt prey the same way prehistoric sharks did, by motion rather than sight (“Frilled Sharks ~ MarineBio Conservation Society”). This allows them to navigate crushing pressure without large, vulnerable eyes. An unusual and fierce predator, frilled sharks dine on other sharks and large squid. Needless to say, I hope to never meet a one outside of an aquarium!
“Deep-Sea Creature Photos.” National Geographic, 24 Aug. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/oceans/photos/deep-sea-creatures/.
“Frilled Sharks ~ MarineBio Conservation Society.” MarineBio Conservation Society, 25 May 2020, marinebio.org/species/frilled-sharks/chlamydoselachus-anguineus/.
Penberthy, Natsumi. “Rare Ancient Shark Relative Captured by Fisherman.” Australian Geographic, 17 Aug. 2018, www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2015/01/rare-ancient-shark-species-captured-by-fisherman/.
This is very interesting, I have to admit I haven’t given much time to thinking about what hides deeper under the sea. After giving it more thought I find it intriguing to what lies in the unknown although I’m not entirely sure how I would react being faced with a frilled shark.
It is abundantly clear that you are passionate about this topic. Your stylistic approach and vivd descriptions perfectly encapsulate your fascination with what’s underneath. I do have to agree with you, I don’t think I would want to meet a frilled shark without a thick piece of glass separating us.
The style of your writing reminds me of Brainpop or another school-type science video, I love it! The information paired with the personal touch of actually talking to the reader makes learning about this horrifying fossil really interesting and fun!