Known for its six gill slits, as opposed to the usual five, the sixgill shark is an elusive animal often found in deep, cold waters – though it can venture into shallower areas at night.
Its secretive nature means sightings are rare but thrilling for divers and marine enthusiasts when they are lucky enough to have an encounter (sixgill sharks are not considered a threat to humans).
The species is occasionally spotted around the Cayman Islands in the western Caribbean Sea, as this diver found out on a trip into the deep.
Image and video credit: sixgill shark, filmed in the Caribbean Sea in 2013/Getty
More amazing wildlife videos from around the world
- Researchers stuck a camera on a baby whale in Hawai'i – they were never expecting to see this
- "Then along comes a predator” – but it couldn't have expected this
- Scientists just spent 16 months exploring Earth's oceans – what they found is breathtaking
- ‘Biggest clone on Earth’ discovered in the Baltic Sea
