Bridget mains are going to be hurting after this one :(. At least testament mains (me) are eating good

Like fr, hows he gonna catch up???

cross-posted from: https://lemmygrad.ml/post/4683607

> Certified banger

Certified banger

The Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi), also called Tasmanian giant freshwater lobster, is the largest freshwater invertebrate and the largest freshwater crayfish species in the world. The species is only found in the rivers below 400 metres (1,300 ft) above sea level in northern Tasmania, an island-state of Australia. It is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List due to overfishing and habitat degradation, and it has been prohibited to catch the crayfish since 1998. Giant Freshwater Crayfish are slow-growing and long-lived. They are spiny with large front pincers and their colour varies considerably among individuals, with adults ranging from dark brown-green to black or blue. The diet of the freshwater crayfish varies with age, but predominantly consists of decaying wood, leaves and their associated microbes. They may also eat small fish, insects, rotting animal flesh and other detritus when available. Juveniles tend to hide in shallow water where they are less at risk from their large predators including fish and platypuses. This species of crayfish reaches reproductive maturity late in its life. Males reach maturity at about 9 years and females do not reach maturity until about 14 years. Even after they reach maturity, females only breed every two years. They mate and spawn in the autumn and the eggs will hatch the next summer. The species is long lived and known to live up to 60 years of age and attain weights of up to 6 kilograms (13 lb), however in recent years specimens of 2–3 kilograms (4.4–6.6 lb) are considered large.

The pelican eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides) is a deep-sea eel. It is the only known member of the genus Eurypharynx and the family Eurypharyngidae. It belongs to the "saccopharyngiforms", members of which were historically placed in their own order, but are now considered true eels in the order Anguilliformes. The pelican eel has been described by many synonyms, yet nobody has been able to demonstrate that more than one species of pelican eel exists. It is also referred to as the gulper eel (which can also refer to members of the related genus Saccopharynx), pelican gulper, and umbrella-mouth gulper. The specific epithet pelecanoides refers to the pelican, as the fish's large mouth is reminiscent of that of the pelican. The pelican eel has been found in the temperate and tropical areas of all oceans. In the North Atlantic, it seems to have a range in depth from 500 to 3,000 m (1,600 to 9,800 ft). Recent studies have shown that pelican eels are active participants in their pursuit of food, rather than passively waiting for prey to fall into their large mouths. They are hypothesized to exhibit lunge-feeding through the expansion of their mandible and upper jaw. Adults feed mainly on crustaceans, but also take fishes, cephalopods, and other invertebrates. Pelican eels themselves are preyed upon by lancetfish and other deep sea predators. The pelican eel is not known to undergo vertical diurnal migration like other eels. Not much is known about the reproductive habits of the pelican eel. Similar to other eels, when pelican eels are first born, they start in the leptocephalus stage, meaning that they are extremely thin and transparent. Until they reach their juvenile stage, they interestingly have very small body organs and do not contain any red blood cells. As they mature, the males undergo a change that causes enlargement of the olfactory organs, responsible for the sense of smell, and degeneration of the teeth and jaws. The males also have defined reproductive organs. In a studied male, the testes occupied a majority of the space in the stomach cavity where the stomach had seemed to have shrunk. The females, on the other hand, remain relatively unchanged as they mature. The large olfactory organs in the sexually-mature males indicates that they may locate their mates through pheromones released by the females. Many researchers believe that the eels die shortly after reproduction.

The signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) is a North American species of crayfish. It was introduced to Europe in the 1960s to supplement the North European Astacus astacus fisheries, which were being damaged by crayfish plague, but the imports turned out to be a carrier of that disease. The signal crayfish is now considered an invasive species across Europe, Japan, and California, ousting native species there. Members of this species are up to 15 cm in length. They are bluish-brown to reddish-brown in color with robust large smooth claws. They have a white to pale blue-green patch near the claw hinge. Signal crayfish display correlation between boldness, aggression, and activity but the repeatability of these behaviors was not tested. Moreover, previous studies showed that the signal crayfish is a nocturnal species. Signal crayfish can be found in habitats ranging from clear, shallow coastal streams, to major rivers with high turbidity, as well as eutrophic and oligotrophic lakes and reservoirs. They have a broad and flexible diet that includes different trophic levels. As juveniles they typically feed on aquatic insects, shifting towards a more herbivorous diet as adults. They are also known to cannibalize other Signal Crayfish throughout their life history. Northern Pike (Esox lucius), Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), and Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) have all been found to consume Signal Crayfish in their introduced range. Mating occurs in autumn at 2-3 years old. Eggs are held over the winter attached to the underneath of the females tail, when hatched the young are still attached to their mother. Young are released in May-June. The eggs hatch into juveniles, which pass through three stages (two moults) before leaving their mother. Sexual maturity is reached after 2–3 years, and the lifespan can be up to 20 years.

The Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas), also known as jumbo squid or jumbo flying squid (EN), and Pota in Peru or Jibia in Chile (ES), is a large, predatory squid living in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the only known species of the genus Dosidicus of the subfamily Ommastrephinae, family Ommastrephidae. Humboldt squid are the largest species of flying squid with bodies, also known as mantles, as long as 1.2 metres and tentacles which add another metre. They grow rapidly and can weigh over 50 kilograms. Incredibly, this rapid growth occurs during their relatively short lifespan of one to two years. The Humboldt squid lives at depths of 200 to 700 m (660 to 2,300 ft) in the eastern Pacific (Notably in Chile and Peru), ranging from Tierra del Fuego north to California. Recently, the squid have been appearing farther north, as far as British Columbia. They have also ventured into Puget Sound. Humboldt squid are formidable predators, whose group foraging often resembles a feeding frenzy. But new research suggests that, as they hunt, these squid communicate with each other using changing patterns of light and dark pigment on their skin. The Humboldt squid's diet consists mainly of small fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, and copepods. The squid uses its barbed tentacle suckers to grab its prey and slices and tears the victim's flesh with its beak and radula. They often approach prey quickly with all 10 appendages extended forward in a cone-like shape. Their behavior while feeding often includes cannibalism and they have been seen to readily attack injured or vulnerable squid in their shoal. A quarter of squid stomachs analyzed contained remains of other squid. This behavior may account for a large proportion of their rapid growth. Upon reaching striking distance, they open their eight swimming and grasping arms, and extend two long tentacles covered in sharp hooks, grabbing their prey and pulling it back toward a parrot-like beak, which can easily cause serious lacerations to human flesh. Numerous accounts have the squid attacking fishermen and divers. Their coloring and aggressive reputation have earned them the nickname diablos rojos (red devils) from fishermen off the coast of Mexico, as they flash red and white when struggling on a line. Because of this divers wear chainmail when swimming with these squid. Several species prey on this Humboldt squid throughout the many life history stages, but adults are a favorite food of sperm whales, billfishes, and other very large predators. Humboldt squid are excellent swimmers and are covered in specialized color cells that allow them to rapidly and repeatedly change color. Humboldt squid reproduce via internal fertilization and lay large egg masses of at least one million eggs. In their short lifetime, females may lay as many as 20 million eggs, the most of any known cephalopod (squid, octopus, or relative). Here is a link to a video of a BBC reporter being attacked by one of these while they were diving cw: BBC

The red-bellied newt (Taricha rivularis) is a newt that is native to coastal woodlands in northern California and is terrestrial for most of its life. The male red-bellied newt often has a dark, broad coloring across the vent, while females do not. Breeding males develop smooth skin and a flattened tail. The red-bellied newt can be distinguished from other coastal newts by its red belly and a lack of yellow in its eyes. The red-bellied newt ranges within Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt and Lake cos. Abundant in most of range. Migrates to streams during fall and winter rains. Inhabits primarily redwood forest, but also found within mixed conifer, valley-foothill woodland, montane hardwood and hardwood-conifer habitats. They feed on arthropods, worms and snails in water and on forest floor within ground litter. Because red-bellied newts are so poisonous, they are nearly inedible and have no reported predators other than a few species of snake which are resistant to the toxin. Males arrive at breeding site before females, in February. In March to April, females lay approximately 12 flat clusters of 6-16 eggs each, on undersides of rocks. Females breed on the average every 3 years. Larvae transform in late summer to early fall. Newts begin their lives as aquatic larvae similar to tadpoles, though elongated and with external gills. Once newt larvae mature into their adult form, which takes about four to six months, they will leave the water and live underground until they are ready to breed, which is typically in four to six years. Red-bellied newts can live for 20-30 years.

The deepsea skate (Bathyraja abyssicola) is a species of softnose skate, in the family Arhynchobatidae, found in deep water from 362 to 2,906 m, usually on the continental slope. They are distributed from off northern Baja California around Coronado Island and Cortes Bank, north to the Bering Sea, and west to Japan. There have also been sightings north of Darwin Island within the Galapagos Marine Reserve in 2015. This was the first record of the Deepsea Skate being found in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. It is fairly common below 1,000 m, and is taken as bycatch in deepwater trawls and traps. The species name abyssicola comes from the Greek abyssos meaning "bottomless", and cola meaning "living at depths". Large males have irregular whitish blotches and numerous dark spots, while females have reduced or absent blotches. Juveniles tend to be uniform in color. The deepsea skate is oviparous. The egg cases are oblong capsules with stiff, pointed horns at the corners, deposited on sandy or muddy flats. Deepwater skates feed on benthic organisms, including annelid worms, cephalopods, tanner crabs, shrimps, and bony fishes. Invertebrates comprise a greater proportion of the diet than fishes in juveniles below 1 m. We do not know what, if anything preys on these creatures. Bathyraja abyssicola, like all other skates, have internal fertilization and are oviparous or egg laying. Females are estimated to mature at about 1.4 m total length and males around 1.1 to 1.2 m total length.

Enallagma cyathigerum is a species found mainly between latitudes 40°N and 72°N; It is widely distributed in the Palearctic, and the Nearctic species Enallagma annexum was at one time considered to be synonymous with it. The species can reach a length of 32 to 35 mm. The male Common blue damselfly is pale blue with bands of black along the body; the female is either blue or dull green, with distinctive black 'torpedo' markings. To identify the small blue damselflies, of which there are seven species in the UK, it helps to concentrate on the pattern on the second segment of the males' abdomen, just behind the thorax. In the Common blue damselfly, this segment is blue with a black button mushroom-shaped mark. Living up to its name, the common blue damselfly is both very common and very blue. It is an insect which primarily inhabits freshwater habitats, such as slow flowing streams, lakes and regularly visits garden ponds. The Common blue damselfly is our most common damselfly and can be found around almost any waterbody, or away from breeding sites in grassland and woodland. It is a regular visitor to gardens and is on the wing from April to September. Adult damselflies eat mainly flying insects. Larvae eat insects in the water, worms, and occasionally small fish. Fish, turtles, frogs, and birds all like to eat damselflies. During mating, the male clasps the female by her neck while she bends her body around to his reproductive organs, forming what is called a ‘mating wheel’. The pair flies together over the water and eggs are laid within a suitable plant, just below the surface. The eggs hatch the following spring and the larvae, called nymphs, live in the water for a few years as an aquatic predator. When fully grown, the nymphs climb out of the water, up a suitable stem to moult into damselflies. Insect blood (haemolymph) is pumped into the wings and body to expand them. When the dragonfly is full size, they increase the temperature of the thorax by whirring the wings so the thorax can reach 27°C, at which point it can fly. It takes a few weeks of feeding and sunny weather before they are fully mature.

Psychrolutes marcidus, the smooth-head blobfish, also known simply as blobfish, is a deep-sea fish of the family Psychrolutidae. It inhabits the deep waters off the coasts of mainland Australia and Tasmania, as well as the waters of New Zealand. Blobfish are typically shorter than 30 cm (12 in). They live at depths between 600 and 1,200 m (2,000 and 3,900 ft), where the pressure is 60 to 120 times greater than that at sea level, which would likely make gas bladders inefficient for maintaining buoyancy. Instead, the flesh of the blobfish is primarily a gelatinous mass with a density slightly less than that of water; this allows the fish to float above the sea floor without expending energy on swimming. The blobfish has a relative lack of muscle, but this is not a disadvantage, as its main food source is edible matter that floats in front of it, such as deep-ocean crustaceans. Blobfish look almost unrecognizable underwater: These tadpole-shaped fish have bulbous heads, large jaws, tapered tails, and feathery pectoral fins. Rather than scales, they have loose, flabby skin. These animals are lie-in-wait predators, meaning they sit at the bottom of the ocean and eat anything that passes by, such as crustaceans, brittle stars, anemone, and carrion. This allows them to preserve energy, which is key to their survival. Blobfish primarily feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and other small invertebrates that can be found on the ocean floor. They are also known to eat carrion meat and muscle tissue from dead fish that have sunk to the bottom of the ocean. In addition to these food sources, blobfish have been observed consuming small crabs, gastropods, and sea urchins. They are also known to eat detritus, which is a mixture of dead organic matter and other debris that accumulates on the ocean floor. Blobfish have few natural predators due to their deep-sea habitat and gelatinous bodies. However, they may be preyed upon by larger fish, such as sharks and rays, that are capable of venturing into the deep sea.

The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, ponds, and lakes. Bullfrogs can also be found in manmade habitats such as pools, koi ponds, canals, ditches and culverts. They prefer warm, slow or stagnant waters with abundant vegetation, but are also found along the shorelines of lakes and banks of streams. The bullfrog gets its name from the sound the male makes during the breeding season, which sounds similar to a bull bellowing. The bullfrog is large and is commonly eaten throughout its range, especially in the southern United States where they are plentiful. The dorsal (upper) surface of the bullfrog has an olive-green basal color, either plain or with mottling and banding of grayish brown. The ventral (under) surface is off-white blotched with yellow or gray. Often, a marked contrast in color is seen between the green upper lip and the pale lower lip. The teeth are tiny and are useful only in grasping. The eyes are prominent with brown irises and horizontal, almond-shaped pupils. The tympana (eardrums) are easily seen just behind the eyes and the dorsolateral folds of skin enclose them. The limbs are blotched or banded with gray. The fore legs are short and sturdy and the hind legs long. The front toes are not webbed, but the back toes have webbing between the digits with the exception of the fourth toe, which is unwebbed. Bullfrogs are sexually dimorphic, with males being smaller than females and having yellow throats. Males have tympana larger than their eyes, whereas the tympana in females are about the same size as the eyes. Bullfrogs measure about 3.6 to 6 in (9 to 15 cm) in snout–to–vent length. They grow fast in the first eight months of life, typically increasing in weight from 5 to 175 g (0.18 to 6.17 oz), and large, mature individuals can weigh up to 500 g (1.1 lb). In some cases bullfrogs have been recorded as attaining 800 g (1.8 lb) and measuring up to 8 in (20 cm) from snout to vent. The American bullfrog is the largest species of true frog in North America. Bullfrogs are ambush predators and will eat almost any animal they can capture and swallow, including worms, insects, crayfish, fishes, other frogs, snakes, small turtles, small mammals and even birds. Animals such as snapping turtles, foxes, herons, and raccoons eat Bullfrogs. Most breeding takes place between April and August. The male grasps the female and externally fertilizes eggs produced by female as she deposits them in water. Clutch size can be up to 12,000 eggs. Females may produce up to three clutches per breeding season. Bullfrogs can live seven to 10 years.

The cookiecutter shark, also called the cigar shark, is a species of small squaliform shark in the family Dalatiidae. This shark occurs in warm, oceanic waters worldwide, particularly near islands, and has been recorded as deep as 3.7 km. This small, cigar-shaped shark is dark brown on top and light on the underside, with a darker band around its neck. The light underside glows, attracting fish, whales, and sharks. It attaches itself to the prey and uses its serrated bottom teeth to cut out a perfectly circular chunk of flesh. Cookiecutter sharks are poor swimmers, and generally only caught at night. They probably migrate vertically from deep water [2000-3000 m] to midwater or surface at night. They are an ectoparasite on large fish and cetaceans, which are possibly lured to the shark by its bioluminescent light organs. Cookiecutter sharks live in the warm, deep waters of equatorial oceans, primarily in coastal waters near islands. They inhabit deep waters below 1,000 m during the day and migrate into surface waters at night at around 300 m. They eat smaller animals (like squid) whole, but also take large, round cookie-cutter shaped bites out of larger animals, such as tuna, whales, dolphins, and seals. Potential predators of the cookiecutter shark include large sharks and bony fish. The cookiecutter shark is ovoviviparous, meaning it gives birth to live pups after they develop inside egg cases within the uterus of the mother. Each developing pup feeds off the yolk inside the egg case, remaining there until it is fully developed. Like all sharks, cookiecutter sharks lose several sets of teeth throughout their lifetimes. This process ensures that they always have sharp, healthy teeth capable of feeding by their preferred strategy. Unlike other species, though, cookiecutter sharks apparently purposely swallow the teeth that they lose.

The whirligig beetles are water beetles, comprising the family Gyrinidae that usually swim on the surface of the water if undisturbed, though they swim underwater when threatened. Whirligigs can be distinguished from all other beetles by their short, clubbed antennae and their two pairs of compound eyes — one pair above the water, and one pair below — which helps them to quickly and accurately capture their prey while also evading predators. Whirligig beetles occur in many types of aquatic habitats, including ponds, lakes and streams. They can swim almost as effortlessly underwater as they do on the surface, making them difficult to catch. Their wings are well developed, so whirligigs can fly to a new home if their pond or stream should dry up. These beetles and their larvae are carnivorous. The larvae eat other aquatic insects and invertebrates. The adults often feed on land insects that fall into the water. These beetles are generally preyed upon by any predator bigger than itself. Concerning reproduction Females lay eggs on emergent vegetation or debris just below the water surface. After hatching in 1–2 weeks, larvae pass through three instars. Larvae are found on submerged objects where they feed on small aquatic insects. Pupal chambers are constructed in mud just above the water level. Here is a video so you can see the whirligig’s whirling.

Aquarius remigis, known as the common water strider, is a species of aquatic bug. It was formerly known as Gerris remigis, but the subgenus Aquarius was elevated to generic rank in 1990 on the basis of phylogenetic analysis. Aquarius remigis is found throughout North America, but is most prevalent in the mid-west of the United States. Aquarius remigis grows slightly longer than . 5 inches, and is dark brown to black in colour. It has a sharp rostrum that it uses to pierce the body of its prey and suck out the insides. They normally continue to move to avoid being eaten by predators. It has good vision, and can row quickly over the surface of the water. It uses its front legs to seize its prey. During breeding season, this species can communicate with potential mates by sending ripples over on the surface of the water. This predatory species feeds on mosquito larvae living under the surface, and dead insects on the surface, and other insects that accidentally land on the water. This bug is can eaten by any predator bigger than it, frogs, birds, and even fish prey on these insects.

The giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne) is a species of oarfish of the family Regalecidae. It is an oceanodromous species with a worldwide distribution, excluding polar regions. Other common names include Pacific oarfish, king of herrings, ribbonfish, and streamer fish. R. glesne is the world's longest ray-finned fish. The long, flat, tapering body is reflective silver with a dorsal fin running the length of it that it uses to swim and turn with. Its abrupt, slightly concave profile is set with a toothless mouth ideal for filtering krill and crustaceans out of the water. This species is the world's longest bony fish, reaching a record length of 17 m (56 ft). It is commonly measured to 3 m (9.8 ft) in total length. An oceanic species, the oarfish is found living at great depths to 3,280 feet (1,000 m) but more typically to depths of 656 feet (200 m). It is occasionally found cast upon beaches after storms or near the surface when injured or dying. Oarfish feed on plankton, crustaceans, and squid by straining them from the water column using specially evolved gill rakes located in the mouth. They orient themselves vertically within the water column which is theorized to allow them to spot the silhouettes of prey items. Then they use their protrusible mouths to suck in prey items including plankton, squid, fish and euphausiid crustaceans which are then strained out of the water by the gill rakers. There is some speculation that they may also steal food items from siphonophores. Due to its significant size, larger fish including sharks are the primary potential predators of the oarfish. Oarfishes, are oviparous broadcast spawners and spawn in warm waters between July and December. After fertilization its large eggs pelagic eggs (2-4 mm) remain near the ocean’s surface until hatching after about three weeks. The resulting larvae have the appearance of miniature adults and feed on plankton until they mature.

Black seadevils are small, deepsea lophiiform fishes of the family Melanocetidae. The five known species are all within the genus Melanocetus. They are found in tropical to temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, with one species known only from the Ross Sea. One of several anglerfish families, black seadevils are named for their baleful appearance and typically pitch black skin. Black seadevils are characterised by a gelatinous, mostly scaleless, globose body, a large head, and generous complement of menacingly large, sharp, glassy, fang-like teeth lining the jaws of a cavernous, oblique mouth. These teeth are depressible and present only in females. Some species have a scattering of epidermal spinules on the body, and the scales (when present) are conical, hollow, and translucent. Like other anglerfishes, black seadevils possess an illicium and esca; the former being a modified dorsal spine—the "fishing rod"—and the latter being the bulbous, bioluminescent "fishing lure". The esca is simple in black seadevils (with either a conical terminus or anterior and posterior ridges in some species), and both it and the illicium are free of denticles. The bioluminescence is produced by symbiotic bacteria; these bacteria are thought to enter the esca via an external duct (in at least two species, the esca is not luminous until this duct develops, suggesting the bacteria originate from the surrounding seawater). The bacteria, belonging to the family Vibrionaceae, are apparently different in each anglerfish species; the bacteria have yet to be cultured in vitro. The eyes of black seadevils are small; the pupil is larger than the lens, leaving an aphakic space. Common among deepsea anglerfish is the strong sexual dimorphism in melanocetids: while females may reach a length of 18 cm (7 in) or more, males remain under 3 cm (1 in). Aside from jaw teeth, males also lack lures. Pelvic fins are absent in both sexes. All fins are rounded with slightly incised membranes; the pectoral fins are small. The single dorsal fin is positioned far back from the head, larger than and above the retrorse anal fin. Females have large, highly distensible stomachs which give the ventral region a flabby appearance. In life, black seadevils are a dark brown to black. The skin is extremely soft and easily abraded during collection or even by simple handling. The females use their bioluminescent "fishing poles" to lure both conspecifics and prey, which include crustaceans and small fish such as lanternfish and bristlemouths; the seadevils' highly distensible stomachs also allow them to swallow prey larger than themselves, which is an important adaptation to life in the lean depths. In contrast with males, females are poor swimmers and spend most of their time motionless, waiting for something to approach their lures. Predators of black seadevils are not well known, but include lancetfish. Black seadevils Angler fish can live up to 10-15 years. Black seadevils are less than a foot long but females can weigh up to 70 lbs.

Kiwa hirsuta is an eyeless crustacean discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. This decapod, which is approximately 15 cm long, is notable for the quantity of silky blond setae covering its pereiopods. Its discoverers dubbed it the "yeti lobster" or "yeti crab". The Yeti Crab can grow to be 5 or 6 inches long, and can weigh anywhere from 2 to ~5 pounds. Depths away from the furry legend of the Himalayas, the Yeti crab is a crustacean that dwells in deep-sea hydrothermal vents, at depths of thousands of feet. The crustaceans were found near the Pacific-Antarctic ridge, south of Easter Island, along hydrothermal vents. The bristles that cover the crab's claws and body are coated in gardens of symbiotic bacteria, which derive energy from the inorganic gases of the seeps. The crab eats the bacteria, using comb-like mouthparts to harvest them from its bristles. The yeti crab does not seem to have many predators in its natural environment; it's thought that some deep-sea octopuses and fish may find them quite edible. Unlike many other crustaceans, the females of this species carry their eggs in a specialized brooding structure on their abdomen. The eggs are attached to setae, and the female cares for them until they hatch into larvae. This method of parental care is distinctive among deep-sea organisms. This crab has is suspected to have an average lifespan of around 10-20 years. Since this species was discovered so recently research is still ongoing and we don't really know all that much about this wonderful creature.

The Greenland shark, (Somniosus microcephalus) also known as the gurry shark or grey shark, is a large shark of the family Somniosidae, closely related to the Pacific and southern sleeper sharks. This large, heavy-set shark grows to an average 8-14 feet long but can get to be 24 feet. It has a short, rounded snout, small eyes, and relatively small dorsal fins. Although it is an apex predator, it is a slow swimmer, and likely ambushes its prey and scavenges for carrion. The largest fish in the Arctic Ocean—and the only shark found there year-round—the Greenland shark also inhabits the North Atlantic and Russian high Arctic. Infrequently observed at the surface, it can live in waters 7,200 feet deep and between 28.4 to 44.6 Fahrenheit (minus 2 to 7 degrees Celsius). The Greenland shark consumes capelin, char, halibut, herring, lumpfish and salmon among other fishes. It also feeds upon marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and cetaceans. It swims at 1.22 km/h (0.76 mph), with its fastest cruising speed only reaching 2.6 km/h (1.6 mph). Because this top speed is a fraction of that of a typical seal in their diet, biologists are uncertain how the sharks are able to prey on the seals. There are no known natural predators of the mature Greenland shark, which is most likely due to its massive size. Greenland sharks are born alive (a process known as ovoviviparity) after an estimated gestation period of 8–18 years. About ten pups per litter is normal, each initially measuring some 38–42 cm (15–16+1⁄2 in) in length. Within a Greenland shark's uterus, villi serve a key function in supplying oxygen to embryos. Greenland sharks have a life expectancy of at least 272 years and could reach 392, give or take about 120 years. What's more, these slow-growing creatures don't reach reproductive age until around 150 years old. The oldest Greenland Shark found is estimated to be around 400 years old.