that the young sharks develop in eggs that remain within the mother's body until they hatch. Tissue samples were obtained from twenty-seven megamouths caught in a two-year period off the Hualien coast (eastern Taiwan), and two caught in Baja California, Mexico, and samples taken from GenBank to perform a population genetic analyses of the megamouth shark; the results indicated no genetic diversity between populations found in different geographical locations, which indicates the species forms a single, highly migratory, interbreeding population. Discovery The first megamouth shark was captured on November 15, 1976, about 25 miles northeast of Kahuku, Hawaii, when it became entangled in the sea anchor of United States Navy ship AFB-14 at a depth of about 165 m (541 ft) in water about 4,600 m (15,092 ft) deep. The species was identified as being of a new genus within the planktivorous shark species. Examination of the 4.5-m (14.7-ft), 750-kg (1,650-lb) specimen by Leighton Taylor showed it to be an entirely unknown type of shark, making it – along with the coelacanth – one of the more sensational discoveries in 20th-century ichthyology. The pectoral fin of the megamouth shark was studied, along with its skeletal and muscular system, to show its phylogenetic relationship to the other two sharks. Known specimens , only 99 megamouth specimens had been caught or sighted. They have been found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan have each yielded at least 10 specimens, the most of any single area, amounting to more than half the worldwide total. Specimens have also been sighted in or come out of the waters near Hawaii, California, Mexico, Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, Senegal, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and possibly Vietnam. See also References External links FishBase info for megamouth shark Elasmo Research pages on megamouth Florida Museum of Natural History pages on megamouth Video of human encounter with megamouth – YouTube Philippine fisherman catch and eat a megamouth shark Taipei Times – Taiwan quick take, Taitung fisherman catches rare megamouth. Wildlife Online – Natural History of the Megamouth Shark Sharkman's World Organization – Full list of Megamouth Sharks Megamouth Shark # 38: The First Megamouth Shark, Megachasma pelagios, Found in Mexican Waters, Florida Museum of Natural History Megachasmidae Ovoviviparous fish Taxa named by Leighton R. Taylor Taxa named by Leonard Compagno Taxa named by Paul J. Struhsaker Fish described in 1983