Something Interesting in the Seas

This image was originally posted to Flickr by Philippe Guillaume

Merienkeli (Squatina squatina) the angelshark or monkfish, is a species of shark in the family Squatinidae known also as angel sharks. The angelshark is generally not aggressive towards humans, though it can deliver a severe bite if disturbed.

Angelsharks were once widespread in the coastal waters of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Angelshark numbers have declined precipitously across most of its range; it is now believed to be extinct in the North Sea and most of the northern Mediterranean, and has become extremely rare elsewhere.

Healthy subpopulations of angelsharks are thought to still persist in areas off North Africa and around the Canary Islands, though a more thorough assessment is needed, [1][2] and the Angel Shark Project is working on it.


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