megamouth shark

noun

mega·​mouth shark ˈme-gə-ˌmau̇th- 

variants or less commonly megamouth

plural megamouth sharks also megamouths

: a large plankton-feeding shark (Megachasma pelagios) of tropical and temperate oceans that has a bulbous head with a short rounded snout and a distinctive white band along the upper jaw

Megamouth sharks were first discovered in 1976 when a specimen was accidentally caught by a U.S. Navy research vessel off the coast of Hawaii. Since then, only around 280 sightings have been recorded around the globe.

—Jess Thomson

Most specimens witnessed by humans are caught as bycatch by commercial plankton fishermen near Taiwan. Seeing a megamouth outside of that area is exceedingly rare. In fact, sightings are so few and far between that scientists don't have a firm grasp on how many megamouth sharks exist worldwide.

—Sage Marshall

Word History

Etymology

mega- + mouth entry 1

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above