If you think a normal shark is intimidating enough, try one with two heads. Scientists recently documented a case of a two-headed embryo among the egg-laying shark species and it is believed to be the first known instance for this kind.
Detailing the finding of this peculiar Atlantic sawtail catshark embryo in Journal of Fish Biology, researchers note, “the specimen was detected among 797 embryos intended for cardiovascular studies...Each head had a mouth, two eyes, a brain, a notochord and five gill openings on each side. The two heads fused behind the gills. On the single body, there were four anticipated dorsal fins, two anterior, right and left and two posterior, right and left.”
According to experts, animals with such a condition have a difficult time sustaining themselves in the wild. According to C. Michael Wagner, a biologist from Michigan State University, “If they make it to birth, two-headed sharks probably don’t survive long in the wild...since they likely have a hard time swimming and finding food.”
