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Photo: Image: Daniela Ceccarelli
It may be a dog-eat-dog up here, but down in the oceans, it's a shark-eat-shark world. Daniela Ceccarelli of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies snapped this photo of a tasselled wobbegong shark eating another shark:
Link - via NotcotWobbegongs usually lie in wait on the sea floor for a passing fish or a tasty invertebrate to swim by and then ambush their prey. This one got lucky with a brown-banded bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum), and was in the process of swallowing it whole and head first. The wobbegong's appetite for large meals is helped by its dislocating jaw, large gape and rearward-pointing teeth.
While wobbegongs eating sharks has been recorded before from stomach contents, this is the first time it has been photographed in action.
Plush Shark Hat – $19.95
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Are you still looking for the perfect gift for your favorite man-eater. Get them the Plush Shark Hat from the NeatoShop. This adorable plush hat is shaped like a ferocious man-eating shark with super cute buggy eyes.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more hilarious Headgear and Valentine’s Day fun!
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Many of the pools in this list are spectacular because of their location or view, but the pool at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas has a shark aquarium in the middle of it! The salt-water aquarium is separated from the swimming area, but only by glass -and they even have a water slide running through the shark enclosure! Link -via the Presurfer
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Well, it’s not laser shark but nature is definitely taking a step towards the ultimate formation of the Sharktopus. Behold, ladies and gentlemen: the world’s first hybrid shark!
Scientists said on Tuesday that they had discovered the world’s first hybrid sharks in Australian waters, a potential sign the predators were adapting to cope with climate change.
The mating of the local Australian black-tip shark with its global counterpart, the common black-tip, was an unprecedented discovery with implications for the entire shark world, said lead researcher Jess Morgan.
“It’s very surprising because no one’s ever seen shark hybrids before, this is not a common occurrence by any stretch of the imagination,” Morgan, from the University of Queensland, told AFP.
“This is evolution in action.”
Dr. Evil would definitely approve! Link (Photo: Pascal Geraghty)
An artificial uterus sounds like a scene from Brave New World. In reality, scientists at the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute in New South Wales, Australia, have so far only nursed six embryos of a wobbegong shark through their last 18 days before birth successfully in a souped-up aquarium with delicately balanced chemicals, filters, and monitors that copy a shark’s womb. The ultimate goal is to incubate embryos of the endangered grey nurse shark throughout their gestation. What’s really strange is the reason they need to do it. The grey nurse shark is endangered in part because of its weird way of reproducing:
After mating, a female produces as many as 40 fertilized embryos, separated between two separate wombs. The embryos take nearly a year to fully develop, but they begin hunting long before that. After about two months, their own yolk sacs go dry. Hungry, they start eating their brothers and sisters. After the rampant in utero cannibalization, only one shark — the biggest and strongest — is left in each womb.
At birth they’re three feet long and experienced hunters, with a good chance of survival. But the tiny brood size, nearly year-long gestation period, and relatively restricted maternal capacity — after giving birth, mothers must wait a year to reproduce again — limit the number of young sharks.
Read more about this research in artificial shark gestation at Wired Science. Link
(Image credit: Port Stephens Fisheries Institute)
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The steroid squalamine, found in dogfish sharks, has been found to fight viruses that are difficult or impossible to treat once transmitted to humans. Squalamine is a potential cure-all remedy than may even have the potential to cure cancers and protozoan infections. Discover summarizes the find as such:
Researchers bathed lab-grown human endothelial cells—the type that line blood vessels—in varying concentrations of squalamine before introducing dengue virus. At the highest concentration of the chemical, none of the human cells became infected, nor suffered any visible ill effects from the squalamine.
Researchers also tested squalamine’s ability to prevent replication of the hepatitis B and D viruses in cultured human liver cells. In cells treated with squalamine, viral replication was reduced 10-fold.
Squalamine has antibiotic, fungicidal, and anti-protozoan properties. It kills a wide variety of pathogens and one study found it could be used to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria. Researchers are also investigating its ability to treat cancer and fight macular degeneration.
Link -via Discover | Image Credit OCVA
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Flying Clownfish Air Swimmers - $39.95
We are excited to announce that Air Swimmers are back in stock at the NeatoShop. Now you can get your very own remote controlled balloon shaped like either a Clownfish (shown) or Flying Shark. Hurry! We have a very limited supply of these fantastic remote controlled balloons.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more fantastic Toys & Games!
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Shark Baby Bathrobe (Pink) – $29.95
Shark week may be over, but the fin has just begun. Behold the terry-iffic-sea-inspired Shark Baby Bathrobe from the NeatoShop. That’s right, the original Shark Baby Bathrobe (Blue) is now available in pink for your perfectly sweet predator. Why? Because even girly girls can love sharks.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more adorable Baby & Kids items!
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In honor of Shark Week, I Can Has Cheezburger posted a collection of funny image macros featuring (what else) sharks! You could call them LOLsharks. This one is my personal favorite. You can see all seven at the site. Link
Great White Shark 3D Anatomy Model - $24.95
Are you crazy about sharks? You need the Great White Shark 3D Anatomy Model from the NeatoShop! This amazingly detailed 3D puzzle of the great white shark is made of 20 fantastic pieces. It comes complete with a stand and illustrated guide book. Get to know this ferocious predator today!
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more terrifyingly fabulous Toys & Games!
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Shark Week starts this Sunday! Who’s your favorite pop culture shark? I have several, and they’re all here in a list of the greatest sharks from movies, TV, and even viral news. I bet you’ll see some you’d forgotten about -like SNL’s Land Shark.
One of the most classic recurring sketches in Saturday Night Live history, Chevy Chase’s Land Shark character was basically a shark who would coerce its victims into opening their doors by pretending to be plumbers, repairmen or, in this clip, a member of Unicef.
Once the unsuspecting people opened their doors, the Land Shark would eat them whole, making a comment on the ridiculousness of the hysteria over sharks after the release of Jaws.
That’s my favorite, but there are sharks for every generation in the list at Ranker. Some text NSFW. Link
Shark Mask – $2.95
Are you looking for a unique gift for a germaphobe? Get them the Shark Mask from the NeatoShop. This mask makes it cool to be afraid of germs. Now bring on the hand sanitizer because it’s time to party!
More Printed Masks available.
Be sure to check out the NeatoShop for more fabulous Apparel & Accessories.
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Whether you are the Jaws type or The Little Mermaid type, you’ll love this clever swimsuit that features both! Link -via Geeks Are Sexy
You remember the Sy-Fy movie Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus, in which an oversized shark leaped from the ocean and snagged an airliner? That was fantasy, but there are real sharks that can leap up to ten feet above the water! Chris and Monique Fallows of Apex Shark Expeditions have been following and photographing great whites and other sharks for 16 years. You can see 19 of their amazing pictures at National Geographic. Link -Thanks, Marilyn Terrell!
(Image credit: Chris Fallows)
How would you like to do this for a living? Cristina Zenato is a shark handler. Underwater videographer and conservationist Joe Romeiro captures her interacting with sharks in this lovely video. I found it mesmerizing although I question why anyone would want to balance a shark on their hand.
Link – Via Inspiration Green
A good day of angling is sometimes described as fish jumping into the boat. The real life experience can be frightening. Texas fisherman Jason Kresse and two companions were about 50 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico looking for red snapper on Monday, throwing chum into the water when an 8-foot mako shark appeared- on board!
“All of a sudden something hit the side of the boat,” Kresse told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “He ends up landing on the back of the boat.”
The mako shark had apparently been in a rush to feed. It began thrashing around, and Kresse said he and his crew couldn’t get close to the 375-pound fish to toss it back in the water. It damaged the boat before dying several hours later.
Kresse, who has been fishing since he was a child, said the unplanned catch was a shock. Just unloading it was a challenge because it was so heavy.
“We had to use a forklift to get it off the boat when we got to the dock,” Kresse said.
Fish and Wildlife officials will not cite Kresse for catching the shark without a permit, because the catch was the shark’s doing. Link -via Arbroath
Shark Bite Oven Mitt – $13.95
Spring has sprung! That means it’s time to clean out those kitchen drawers. Your first order of business should be to toss out that old crusty thing you call an oven mitt and get yourself the new Shark Bite Oven Mitt from the NeatoShop.
Want to know what’s really great about the Shark Bite Oven Mitt from the NeatoShop? Everyone will be so distracted by its awesomeness that they won’t notice the giant pile of dirty dishes in you always leave in your sink.
Be sure to check out all the awesome Cooking Gadgets available at the NeatoShop.
Comments Off Captain Linda Cavitt caught some footage of a 20-foot basking shark from the safety of the pier in Panama City Beach, Florida. Josh, the kayaker, was a bit closer.
yes he was eaten part 2? is coming….j/k no it’s a docile basking shark, they eat plankton. The kayaker did jump in the water and swim with the shark though but as soon as Josh grabbed it’s tail the shark swam away from him
Yes, he really did. -via BroBible
The ChumBuddy is a combination sleeping bag, body pillow, and plush shark. It makes for an awesome photo opportunity as well -all your friends will want to try it out! Link
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The monster from the Sy-Fy movie has been enshrined in plush! This is a one-of-a-kind Sharktopus was hand-made by Suzannah Ashley. See more pictures at her website. Link -via Laughing Squid
Remember Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus? The sequel is going to be even sillier! Bonus: starring Jaleel White, whom you may remember as Steve Urkel. -via Geeks Are Sexy
Shark Baby Bathrobe – $29.95
Ooh, this one is so cute: the Shark Baby Bathrobe from the NeatoShop, complete with a smiling shark hoodie, dorsal fin and shark tail’s bottom.
Mom and dad are going to fall for this terry-ific sea-inspired robe – hook, line and little stinker!
After a refreshing bath time for baby, they’ll want to wrap their wiggly, wet one in something cozy, absorbent and cute. Baby Aspen’s Terry Shark Bathrobe is reel-y neat and oh, so fin!
Link | More Fun Baby Stuff
In their tribute to Shark Week, BroBible compiled a list of sharks that appeared in literature, films, and TV shows, ranked from the ridiculous to the nightmare-inducing. If you can identify the shark pictured here from memory, you can probably guess where it ranked. Link
Comments Off We are in the midst of the Discovery Channel’s annual celebration known as Shark Week. In honor of the occasion, here’s a look at the strangest species of sharks, both living and extinct.
(Image credit: Flickr user Gore Fiendus/Jerry Frausto)
There are seven known species of sawsharks (Pristiophoriformes) that have long snouts with teeth, but they are not related to sawfish (although sawsharks are fish). They swim along the floor of the ocean and use their snouts exactly as you would imagine: they smack their prey sideways to disable them. Sawsharks eat squid, crustaceans, and small fish. They look much more dangerous than they are.
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second-largest of all living shark species, with only the whale shark growing larger. They normally grow to 20-26 feet long, with the biggest confirmed specimen measuring over 40 feet long! They have mouths up to three feet wide, which they hold open while swimming. That’s because they are filter feeders that scoop up plankton, crustaceans, and small fish as they swim.
(Image credit: Flickr user David Biesack)
There are eight or nine different species of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna), named for their unusual shape. The reason behind the peculiar shape of the shark’s head was debated for many years. Scientists speculated that the distance between the shark’s eye gave it some kind of advantage. Recent research confirms this. Hammerhead sharks can see a range of 360 degrees vertically. They can easy see behind them with a slight turn of the head, and most importantly, their two eyes have a huge overlap of field compared to other sharks, indicating they have excellent binocular vision. Hammerhead sharks are able to judge distances well by sight alone. They also differ from other sharks in that they tend to swim in schools and they can develop a tan when exposed to sunlight.
Finn Salt & Pepper Shakers – $7.95
Celebrating Shark Week? What better way than to eat little nosh with a dash of salt and pepper from these shark-fin-shaped shakers from the NeatoShop? Check it out: Link | More Fun Kitchen Stuff
Forget water wings, if these Sea Squirt swim assist vest and life jackets were invented way back when I was learning how to swim, I’d totally wear ‘em. Heck, I’d probably still wear ‘em now if they made adult sizes: Link – via Blog on a Toothpick
If you love this sort of stuff, you’ll love our baby and kid blog NeatoBambino. Go check it out!
This weekend will mark 35 years since the movie Jaws made us all afraid to get in the water. Johnny Cat takes a look back at what a groundbreaking movie it was.
Much like Alfred Hitchcock’s shower scene, this movie made audiences rethink potential sources of Things to Watch Out For. The sophomore effort of one of filmmaking’s living legends, Steven Spielberg, it still ranks as one of the world’s best-loved movies, with a commanding 100% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
My personal favorite element of this classic flick is the way the shark was represented; yes, I loved the acting performances of each and every human character, but the character of the shark upstaged everyone. And that shark’s name is Bruce. It’s hilarious to note that the name was attached to the mechanical shark(s) in honor of Spielberg’s lawyer, also named Bruce.
Bruce wasn’t the easiest of actors to work with, either. Link
April Pignataro and Michael Curry of New York City got married yesterday. The bride wore a white wetsuit and the groom wore a traditional black wetsuit as they climbed inside a 120,000 gallon shark tank to take their vows at Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead, N.Y. Both are experienced divers, and said their “I dos” over a radio transmitter with an officiant who did not get in the tank.
“My mom was against it,” Pignataro said. “She was concerned that my makeup and hair were going to get messed up in the water. But . . . I’m a tomboy. Hair and makeup don’t mean a whole lot to me.”
Link -via The Huffington Post
Jim Rawlinson was riding the waves at Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii on Monday when a tiger shark attacked his surfboard.
As he slid backwards what happened next is as frightening as it is unimaginable. Rawlinson ended up on the back of the ocean’s most feared predator.
“I was onto the shark’s back…anywhere from about five to ten seconds. It was so strange that everything was so slow and yet again so fast.”
Rawlinson credits his escape from the large, toothy fish on his ability to stay calm. As he straddled the fish, he released his surf leash from around his leg and slowly slid off.
From the bite marks left on the surfboard, Rawlinson and marine biologist Terry Lilley, who was shooting video underwater nearby, estimate the shark was around 14 feet long. Link -via Fark
Every culture has some traditional dishes that make those from elsewhere cringe. The author of this post heard from quite a few people in India that pizza is clearly disgusting! Here are some other offbeat delicacies from around the world. I think I would have to try some of these before I make a judgement. For example, in Iceland, you may encounter Hákarl, or rotten shark.
Typically, a Greenland or basking shark is the Hákarl shark of choice. First, gut and behead it. Next, place it in a shallow hole, dug in gravelly-sand, then cover it with the sand and gravel. Place stones on top of the sand in order to press the shark and extract any fluids out of the body. Allow the shark to ferment for 6-12 weeks. Following the curing period, cut the shark into strips and hang them to dry for several months. During this drying period a brown crust will develop. Remove the crust prior to cutting the shark into small pieces and presto, ready to serve.
From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by mrmunchies.
