Angelshark

shark · ocean floor · camouflage

Flat like a pancake. Angelsharks look totally different from most sharks because their bodies are super flattened, making them look more like rays than sharks. They're the only living members of their special shark family, Squatinidae.

Sandy bottom dweller. These sharks live on sandy seabeds about 150 meters (490 feet) down in the ocean, where they blend in perfectly with the ocean floor. Their flattened shape is perfect for hiding in the sand.

Sneaky ambush hunter. Angelsharks lie still on the ocean bottom and wait for fish and other prey to swim nearby. Then they strike with lightning-fast speed, using their wide mouths to gulp them down.

Ancient shark family. Angelsharks belong to an order of sharks called Squatiniformes, which has been around for millions of years. They're living fossils that show us what some of the earliest sharks were like.