By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) â Surprised scientists have fished a tiny, extraordinarily rare shark â called a pocket shark â out of the Gulf of Mexico.
The dead specimen is only the second of its species ever found. The only other was found off the coast of Peru in the Pacific Ocean 36 years ago.
This pocket shark was a baby, maybe a few weeks old, about 5.5 inches long. Some might even say it was cute. Strangely, this type of shark has two pockets next to its fins; their purpose is not known..
It was part of a haul of fish taken from the deep Gulf in 2010. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries biologist Mark Grace identified it from NOAA's freezer in 2013.