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Photo of the Week: July 19, 2010
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| DIVER AND ANGELSHARK | |
| Photographer: Marty Snyderman | POTW: 2010-07-19 |
| Comment: Hi Gang! I decided to stay in southern California for this week's POTW. It's a shot of a Pacific angelshark (aka Pacific angel shark) exploding out of the sand in front of a diver. Taxonomists assure us that there is no question that Pacific angelsharks are in fact one of the world's approximately 380 species of sharks despite the fact that these sharks lack the made-for-television scary looks of species like great whites, makos, tigers and sand tigers etc. Angelsharks are characterized by their greatly flattened body, the terminal position of the mouth (located on the forward end of the head), and their greatly enlarged pectoral fins. The normal coloration of this bottom dwelling shark varies from sandy gray to tan to reddish-brown with an off-white underbelly and dark spots above. The Pacific angelshark attains a maximum length of just over 5 feet and weigh as much as 60 pounds. There are13 species of angelsharks found in oceans around the world. The Pacific angelshark occurs in the eastern Pacific in areas ranging from southeastern Alaska to the Gulf of California and Costa Rica to southern Chile. I suppose the fact that there are so many species of angelsharks tells us that while these animals don't have the fierce looks displayed by so many of the species of sharks we see on television, they are not an unnatural aberration in the world of sharks. Angelsharks simply get less publicity than many of shark species. Pacific angelsharks are generally observed when they are resting on the sea floor, either partially or almost completely buried. Because of their dorsoventrally compressed (flattened from top to bottom) body, the non-threatening appearance of their face, and their usually docile nature, angelsharks are often mistaken as a type of ray or skate. As is the case with other angelsharks, the Pacific anegelshark is a lay-in-wait predator that readily preys upon a variety of small bony fishes, crustaceans and mollusks. The Pacific angelshark is known to remain in the same place and same position for extended periods of time as it patiently waits for an unsuspecting victim. However, even when appearing to be doing nothing more than resting on the sea floor, angelsharks are often in a hunting mode, and they will quickly strike and engulf surprised prey. When a potential meal passes through the shark's strike, or hit, zone, an area located immediately in front and above the shark's head, an angelshark will explode off of the bottom and quickly open it's mouth in an attempt to overwhelm its prey. Amazingly, a 3-to-5 foot-long shark can open its mouth as wide as one foot from the lower jaw to the top jaw. Although angelsharks are formidable predators, they are extremely particular about the timing of an attack. I have seen potential meals such as a lobster and an octopus literally crawl right over the back of a resting angelshark without the shark ever moving. I have gone long periods of time while regularly diving in California without seeing a single angelshark, but almost always during winter months when market squid (aka common squid) come into nearshore sandy bottoms to mate and lay their eggs, Pacific angelsharks show up to gorge themselves on the squid that die shortly after mating. When frightened by divers, angelsharks usually flee by swimming away just a few feet above the sea floor. Often, as one angelshark swims away another previously unseen angelshark will also bolt, and then another and another in a domino effect until as many as a half-dozen sharks are gracefully gliding away along the sea floor. During the past two decades this majestic sight has become all too rare as fishing pressure has depleted angelshark populations in California waters. Pacific angelsharks have rather small home ranges, and once a population of angelsharks has been located, it is very easy to over fish them, and wipe them out. This week's portrait of a Pacific angelshark was captured with a Nikon 24 mm lens. That is a great focal length for a medium-sized shark, or a medium-sized shark and a diver, and the image illustrates another reason why these days I so often choose my Nikon17-to-55 mm lens when photographing creatures the size of angelsharks. I hope you enjoy this week's POTW! See you next week, Marty | |
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