American pocket shark facts for kids

The American pocket shark, also known as Mollisquama mississippiensis, is a very rare and tiny species of pocket shark. It lives deep in the Gulf of Mexico. This amazing creature is only the second type of pocket shark ever found and described by scientists!

How Was the American Pocket Shark Discovered?

This special shark was first found by scientists from Tulane University in 2010. They weren't even looking for sharks! They were actually studying sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico when they came across this tiny fish.

Later, in 2013, a group called the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) looked at the shark more closely. They realized it was a pocket shark! This was the first time a pocket shark had been found in this part of the world.

To figure out if it was a new species, scientists compared it to another pocket shark. That other shark was caught off the coast of Chile way back in 1979. By comparing the two, they saw clear differences in their size, their vertebrae (backbones), and how many light-producing parts they had. This helped them confirm the American pocket shark was a unique species.

What Does the American Pocket Shark Look Like?

The American pocket shark is super small, only about 5.5 inches (14 centimeters) long. That's about the size of a regular pencil!

• Head: Its head is round and looks a bit like a whale's head.
• Color: Its body is mostly gray, but its fins are a darker shade. The areas around its gills are a creamy white color.
• Special Pockets: Near its gills, it has two unique "pockets." These pockets can squirt out a special glowing fluid! Scientists think this glowing fluid might help the shark hunt for food in the dark depths of the ocean.
• Light-Up Body: The shark also has many tiny parts called photophores scattered all over its body. These photophores can produce their own light, making the shark glow in the dark ocean.