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What the sources say

Goblin SharkMitsukurina owstoni

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Goblin Shark profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 49 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Florida Museum of Natural History, Discover Fishes

Mitsukurina owstoni. Florida Museum of Natural History, Discover Fishes.

The page saysGoblin sharks were previously thought to reach only 300 to 400 centimetres
The source saysPreviously thought to only reach 300-400 cm (9.8 and 13.1 ft) long
The page saysmore recent specimens suggest the species may grow larger
The source saysrecent specimens have suggested the species may reach larger sizes
The page saysRegression analysis from photographs suggests lengths of 540 to 617 centimetres, roughly 18 to 20 feet, though the species' true maximum size is still unknown
The source saysRegression analysis from photographs suggest measurements of 540 to 617 cm (18-20 ft.), all though this true maximum size of the species is still unknown
The page saysMature male specimens have ranged from 264 to 384 centimetres and mature females from 335 to 372 centimetres
The source saysMature male specimens have ranged from 264-384 cm (9-13 ft.) mature females have measured 335-372 cm (11-12 ft)
The page saysSize at birth isn't known, but the smallest specimen ever collected measured just 107 centimetres
The source saysSize at birth is not known, but the smallest specimen ever collected was 107 cm (3.51 ft.)
The page saysrecords off California and in the northern Gulf of Mexico south of Mississippi
The source saysrecorded in the United States near San Clemente Island off the coast of California (Larson and Lowry, 2017) as well as in the northern Gulf of Mexico south of Pascagoula, Mississippi
The page saysIt is found along outer continental shelves and seamounts, and most specimens have been observed near continental slopes between 270 and 960 metres down
The source saysfound along outer continental shelves, and seamounts ... most specimens have been observed near continental slopes between 270-960 m
The page saysIts slender teeth suggest it mainly eats soft-bodied prey such as shrimp, octopus, fish and squid
The source saysIts slender narrow teeth suggest it mainly feeds on soft body prey such as shrimps, octopus, fish, and squid
The page saysit is also thought to eat crabs, because of crushing teeth at the back of its jaws
The source saysIt is also thought to feed on crabs, because of posterior crushing teethNote: 'at the back of its jaws' renders 'posterior'; the page also says 'Rear teeth are smaller and are flattened for crushing'
The page saysA double set of ligaments at the jaw joints thrusts the jaws forward
The source saysBeing thrust forward by a double set of ligaments at the mandibular jointsNote: 'jaw joints' renders 'mandibular joints'
The page sayswhile swimming it usually holds them tightly
The source saysThe jaws are usually held tightly while swimming
The page saysBlood vessels visible through the skin make a live goblin shark appear pinkish-white, while its fins appear bluish-grey
The source saysBlood vessels are visible through the skin, making them appear a pinkish white. Fins, however, appear blueish-grey.
The page saysYoung ones are a ghostly white, with the pink intensifying with age
The source saysThe young on are a ghostly white, with the pink color intensifying with ageNote: 'The young on' is the cached page's own typo
The page saysskin that looks pink because blood vessels show through it
The source saysBlood vessels are visible through the skin, making them appear a pinkish whiteNote: tagline; keeps the source's 'appear' (no pigment claimed)
The page saysOuter continental shelves, slopes and seamounts, mostly 270 to 960 meters down
The source saysfound along outer continental shelves, and seamounts ... most specimens have been observed near continental slopes between 270-960 mNote: stats.habitat
The page saysFish, squid, octopus and shrimp, and likely crabs
The source saysmainly feeds on soft body prey such as shrimps, octopus, fish, and squid. It is also thought to feed on crabsNote: stats.diet
The page saysYoung goblin sharks are a ghostly white, and the pink intensifies with age
The source saysThe young on are a ghostly white, with the pink color intensifying with ageNote: FAQ 2
The page saysdangerLevel: Medium
The source saysThe goblin shark seldom comes in contact with humans; however, because of its large size, it could be potentially dangerous.Note: Settles #836: kept at Medium. Capability reading: a shark of its size could injure, and no source records harm, so neither Low (effectively harmless) nor High.

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Mitsukurina owstoni (elfin shark). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysMost known specimens come from bays of Japan
The source saysThe majority of known specimens come from bays of Japan
The page saysthe rest mostly found off New Zealand, southern Africa, and in the eastern Atlantic and Indian Oceans
The source saysthe rest are mostly found off New Zealand, southern Africa, and in the Eastern Atlantic and Indian Oceans
The page saysThe exact purpose of the long, flat snout is unknown
The source saysThe exact purpose of the flat snout is unknown
The page saysIt is not hard or sharp enough to pin or kill prey, so it is probably used to detect the faint electric signals other fish give off
The source saysas it is not hard or sharp enough to pin or kill prey, it is probably used to detect the faint electric signals that other fish give off
The page saysIt houses the ampullae of Lorenzini, electrical sensing organs attuned to catching otherwise undetectable prey in dark water or on the seafloor
The source sayshouses the ampullae of Lorenzini which are attuned to catching otherwise undetectable prey in dark waters or on the bottomNote: 'electrical sensing organs' is ADW's own gloss: 'the electrical sensing organs called ampullae of Lorenzini'
The page saysA snout that probably senses electricity
The source saysit is probably used to detect the faint electric signals that other fish give offNote: blockquote lead
The page saysJudging by its body shape, scientists assume the goblin shark is rather sluggish, swimming lazily or waiting for prey to come within striking distance
The source saysDue to its morphology, it is assumed that Mitsukurina owstoni is rather sluggish and accomplishes most of its hunting by swimming lazily or waiting for vertically migrating animals to come within striking distanceNote: FAQ 1
The page saysProbably not by chasing it
The source saysMitsukurina owstoni is not a fast or active predatorNote: FAQ 1
The page saysBlood vessels close to the skin give a live goblin shark its pinkish color, and because it lacks pigment, a dead one looks almost colorless
The source saysDue to the blood vessels that are close to the skin, the shark has a pinkish-grey color in life, though in death it appears quite colorless because of its lack of pigmentNote: FAQ 2
The page saysNot from pigment
The source saysbecause of its lack of pigmentNote: FAQ 2
The page saysNobody knows for sure, but it is not hard or sharp enough to pin or kill prey
The source saysThe exact purpose of the flat snout is unknown, but as it is not hard or sharp enough to pin or kill preyNote: FAQ 3
The page saysOne theory has the goblin shark hunting on the bottom with electroreceptors on its enlarged snout, much as hammerhead sharks do
The source saysAnother theory has goblin sharks actively hunting for benthic prey using electroreceptors on its enlarged snout (similar to hammerhead sharks)Note: FAQ 3
The page saysusing the snout to dig up any prey it detects under the sand
The source saysusing this snout to dig up any prey it detects underneath the sandNote: FAQ 3

Source
03

Nakaya et al. 2016

Nakaya et al. (2016). Slingshot feeding of the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni (Pisces: Lamniformes: Mitsukurinidae). Scientific Reports.

The page saysSlingshot Jaws
The source saysSlingshot feeding of the goblin sharkNote: heading
The page saysResearchers filmed two goblin sharks, both about 1.3 metres long and caught by gill net in Tokyo Bay in 2008 and 2011
The source saysTwo individuals, both ca. 1300 mm in total length (TL), captured from the Tokyo Underwater Canyon in the Tokyo Bay by the gill nets in 2008 and 2011Note: 1300 mm converted to 1.3 m
The page saysThe one recording that covered a whole strike, on a diver's arm
The source saysThe first recording was a strike on a diver's arm, and as it covers the entire striking event
The page saysthe lower jaw shooting forward at up to 3.14 metres per second
The source saysThe lower jaw was swung anterodorsally from the peak retraction and protruded quickly forward at a maximum velocity of 3.14 m/sNote: Results section describing the 2008 (diver's arm) recording
The page saystravelling 9.4% of the shark's total length, with the upper jaw travelling 8.6%
The source says8.6% of total length (TL) (or 32.3% of head length [HL]) for the upper jaw and 9.4% TL (35.5% HL) for the lower jaw
The page saysby far the fastest and greatest jaw protrusion among sharks
The source sayswhich is by far the fastest and greatest jaw protrusion among sharks
The page saysthe sling-jaw wrasse, a fish well known for rapid, extensive jaw protrusion, tops out at 2.31 metres per second
The source saysThe sling-jaw wrasse Epibulus insidiator is a well-known example among fishes in having rapid and extensive jaw protrusion for capturing the prey, and has its maximum protrusion velocity of 2.31 m/s
The page saysslingshot jaws
The source saysSlingshot feeding of the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoniNote: tagline
The page saysCatapulting slingshot feeding mechanism that launches its jaws at up to 3.1 meters per second
The source saysThe jaws were projected at a maximum velocity of 3.1 m/sNote: stats.superpower
The page saysresearchers who filmed two goblin sharks striking recorded the jaws projecting at up to 3.1 meters per second, by far the fastest and greatest jaw protrusion among sharks
The source saysThe jaws were projected at a maximum velocity of 3.1 m/s ... which is by far the fastest and greatest jaw protrusion among sharksNote: FAQ 1
The page saysa shark whose lower jaw shoots forward at up to 3.14 meters per second when it strikes
The source saysThe lower jaw was swung anterodorsally from the peak retraction and protruded quickly forward at a maximum velocity of 3.14 m/sNote: vibe.reason, settled in #836.

Source
04

Caltabellotta et al. 2020

Caltabellotta et al. (2020). Preliminary age and growth of the deep-water goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni (Jordan, 1898). Marine and Freshwater Research.

The page saysDeep-water sharks and rays have poorly mineralised structures, so ageing them takes unconventional techniques
The source saysOwing to poorly mineralising structures, ageing deep-water elasmobranchs requires unconventional techniquesNote: elasmobranchs = sharks and rays; published version (Marine and Freshwater Research) of the bioRxiv preprint
The page saysresearchers stained a single vertebra from a male measuring 315.2 centimetres and aged it at a minimum of 27 years
The source saysusing Alcian blue staining of the vertebral column. One vertebral centrum from a male individual measuring 315.2-cm total length (TL) was aged with a minimum age of 27 years
The page saysCombining that with the lengths of the largest known males and the smallest free-swimming goblin sharks in a growth model
The source saysa Bayesian von Bertalanffy growth model informed by back-calculated length at age, a literature search of maximum male TL, the TL of the smallest free-swimming individuals and informative priors
The page saysthey estimated that males grow to about 374 centimetres, mature at around 16 years and live up to 60 years
The source sayswe estimated males grow to 374 cm TL, mature at 16 years and live up to 60 yearsNote: published figures supersede the preprint's 364 cm, 215 kg, 16.5 and 55 years

Source
05

Judah et al. 2026

Judah et al. (2026). First in situ observations of the goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni. Journal of Fish Biology.

The page saysIn 2019 and 2024, scientists made the first observations of live goblin sharks in their own habitat, on a seamount near Jarvis Island and on the slope of the Tonga Trench
The source saysthe first live in situ observations of the iconic goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) on a seamount near Jarvis Island in 2019 and on the slope of the Tonga Trench in 2024Note: 'in their own habitat' renders 'in situ'
The page saysThe sightings extended the species' known depth range considerably, and the depth range of its whole order, the lamniform sharks, by 108 metres
The source saysThese observations extend its known geographic and depth range considerably, and extend the depth range of lamniform sharks by 108 m

Source
06

Finucci & Duffy 2018

Finucci & Duffy (2018). Mitsukurina owstoni. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T44565A2994832.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats.conservationStatus; category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.