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Rare megamouth shark found in Philippines

The discovery of the dead megamouth shark marked the 64th confirmed sighting of the species.

By Ben Hooper
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PIO DURAN, Philippines, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Fishermen in the Philippines said a rare megamouth shark found dead was dubbed "Toothless" for its resemblance to the How to Train Your Dragon character.

The male shark was found in the Burias Pass between the provinces of Albay and Masbate and was already dead when it was discovered. Some reports indicated the shark washed up on the beach, while others said it was ensnared by fishing nets.

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Experts said the shark is just the 64th confirmed sighting of the species, which was first cataloged by humans in 1976.

The carcass that washed up Wednesday was nicknamed "Toothless" by locals due to its resemblance to the character from the How to Train Your Dragon films.

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The Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, which shared photos and videos of the carcass before it was put on ice, said a previous megamouth shark found in the country was eaten by locals.

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