For this week's Real or Not?, I selected and image that's somewhat different from the others:
Yech...is this shark real or not?
UPDATE: The answer is revealed!
Scary Shark: Real or Not?, Part 16
Reader Comments
(Page 3)42. Why can't it be a tumor. Anyone see the lady with the 300 pound tumor. Same thing.
Posted at 9:49PM on Aug 14th 2006 by Joshua
43. IT'S NOT A TUUUUUMAAAAAA
Posted at 9:54PM on Aug 14th 2006 by pgd
44. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/white/embryo.htm
This site should clear things up.
Posted at 10:16PM on Aug 14th 2006 by Don
45. http://www.martysnyderman.com/cgi-local/if/imageFolio.cgi?action=view&link=Sharks/Swell&image=SHKSWL-07.jpg&img=&tt=
another site that should help you distinguish the reason the shark looks as it does
Posted at 10:22PM on Aug 14th 2006 by Don
46. Not being an expert on the subject, I will venture a guess, that this is infact a baby shark that still has the embrionic sac attached. It looks to be only a few weeks of age.
Posted at 10:42PM on Aug 14th 2006 by Bill Shubbuck
47. maybe the shark drink too much...thats why his belly is so big or he might swallow a big water melon...heheh!
Posted at 10:50PM on Aug 14th 2006 by lhen
48. the shark is a very young shark with an yolk or what ever you call it in a shark still attached
Posted at 11:08PM on Aug 14th 2006 by gabby
49. I think it's a birth disoder, just like some humans are born with them, so are animals
Posted at 11:10PM on Aug 14th 2006 by natalie
50. I am not an Ichthyologist, and I don't know if ernie from #18 is either. But
we apparently watched the same episode of "SHARK WEEK" and I agree that his comment is exactly what is pictured above.
Posted at 11:25PM on Aug 14th 2006 by MIKE
51. I think the shark has an impaction from eating something it shouldn't have. I had a gecko once that had an impaction from eating sand. It looked like the shark, but not so severe.
Posted at 12:50AM on Aug 15th 2006 by none
52. Your ichthyologist hit it on the head so to speak. The unborn of some species of sharks do eat their siblings.
Now that lunch is over, "What's for supper?"
Posted at 1:20AM on Aug 15th 2006 by mano-man
53. This looks like an embryonic shark that has a parasitic twin or a tumor. Could be anyone's guess... Autopsy performed?
Posted at 1:53AM on Aug 15th 2006 by Stephanie Eastman
54. u guys are rong it is not a shark it is a black and whight shark that is big boned.
Posted at 4:31AM on Aug 15th 2006 by michael
55. This is a baby shark with its vitello, i.e. the yolk that comes on its egg to provide enough food while it ca not feed activily yet.
Posted at 5:40AM on Aug 15th 2006 by Silvia
56. Your scince knowledge is obviously primitive and illogical. This is a shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)shark embryo with a yolk sac. It is a lamnoid shark as is the great white shark. It is ovoviviparous or aplacental viviparous. Live birth without a placenta. Most common and most advanced repro mode producing the largest pups. The dogfish sharks, cow sharks, frill sharks, angel sharks, tiger sharks, and some nurse sharks are a few of the many ovoviviparous species. Maternal reproductive investment per embryo in ovoviviparous sharks is greatest in species that have developed OOPHAGY. In this mode, the young hatch within the uterus in the first three months of gestation and consume eggs which the female continues to ovulate throughout gestation. The lamnoid sharks, makos, white sharks, threshers, crocodile sharks, sand tigers, and false catsharks, are known to be oophagous. The sand tiger shark is in fact EMBRYOPHAGOUS in that the first embryo to hatch within the uterus attacks and consumes its siblings before settling down to a diet of maternal eggs.
So the mako does not eat its sibling only the sandtiger has been documented to do this.
Posted at 5:51AM on Aug 15th 2006 by Eevil-Spock
57. It does look like it's eaten a large egg.. evil sharky!!!!
Posted at 6:02AM on Aug 15th 2006 by Eleanor
58. This is a real shark!! I do not agree how ever with the fact that it is embryonic sac. I think that is some infection. It may be tumer but I think that is a mutated shark and something went wrong with the birth or it was a premature baby.
Posted at 7:35AM on Aug 15th 2006 by Kels
59. Many sharks are born live but this doesn't tell the whole story. There are several eggs in the "womb" but the first shark born generally uses their brothers and sisters to feed upon prior to birth (talk about sibling rivalry!). When you view a young salmonid, they look the same way because they are carrying the egg yolk sack still. This shark was probably just taken early from the womb during a catch.
Posted at 8:05AM on Aug 15th 2006 by John Resler
60. By the way, sharks don't get cancer. I'm unsure about tumors but as tumors generally turn into cancer I bet they don't get tumors either. Don't eat sharks expecting to prevent cancer though. My Uncle is 80+ years old, smokes and has never gotten cancer but I doubt eating him would prevent me from getting cancer. Most pharmacies are selling ground up, dehydrated shark cartilage trying to convince you it will prevent you from getting cancer. :)
Posted at 8:09AM on Aug 15th 2006 by John Resler
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41. It obviously looks drawn, in my opinion, it's fake.
Posted at 9:35PM on Aug 14th 2006 by SomeNonPerson