Greenland Shark

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Greenland Shark
Species:	Somniosus microcephalus
Games:	Endless Ocean 2
Category:	Large Marine Life
Length:	20ft (6m)
Appearance:	A mottled grey shark with a long, sinuous body
Location: (EO2)	North Coast of Canada
Time:	Day and night
Dangerous:
Forms:	Adult only

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is a species of cold-water shark found only in Endless Ocean 2.

Though dangerous in-game, it is mostly harmless to humans in real life. It is renowned for its longevity and its slow swimming speed.

In-Game

Marine Encyclopedia

Endless Ocean 2

Description

"This large shark inhabits the depths of the Arctic Ocean. As it can live deeper than 1000m, so said sightings are rare.

It has a poison in its flesh that causes a condition similar to intoxication when eaten, even making it impossible to stand."

Introductory Dialogue

"What? Just a moment! Oh no--a Greenland shark! It's a big one too, and it looks agitated. Be careful! Greenland sharks resemble great white sharks but live in much colder waters. They're terrifying beasts capable of swallowing a dolphin or a seal whole! According to legend, they've been known to attack humans too. You haven't got time to turn back now, so try using the dolphin's speed to get past it safely."

Location

Endless Ocean 2

Three Greenland sharks can be found in the North Coast of Canada area, at coordinates A-1, C-1, and D-3. The second attacks the player's party near the Ice Mosaic during the main quest.

Behavior

Three solitary Greenland sharks swim around several of the ice holes. They are aggressive and will attempt to attack the player when they come within range. The player is able to use the Pulsar on them to calm them down temporarily, but they shake off the effects of the Pulsar quickly. Their attacks can also be dodged by riding a dolphin partner past them, like all shark species in Endless Ocean 2; in this species' case, they can also be avoided by holding onto a passing blue whale.

Gallery

Notes

• This shark occasionally appears during the load times whenever the player dives in the North Coast of Canada. Unlike other sharks with this distinction, however, they do not appear in schools.
• This is one of only two dangerous creatures in the game that is never encountered in groups; the other is the bluntnose sixgill shark.

Real-Life Information

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• As is mentioned in its in-game description, the flesh of the Greenland shark contains a chemical that causes symptoms similar to extreme drunkenness. This chemical is called Trimethylamine N-oxide, or TMAO, and occurs in the shark in high concentrations alongside urea. Thusly, eating the meat of the Greenland shark without having treated it may cause poisoning.
  • The Greenland shark is often eaten as a part of an iconic Icelandic dish called kæstur hákarl. In English, it is called "fermented shark"; by allowing the meat of the shark to ferment through a specific process, the aforementioned TMAO is neutralized, and then the shark is hung to dry for four or five months. Hákarl is known for being an acquired taste, due to its strong fishy flavor and ammonia smell.
• The in-game description says that the Greenland shark can dive more than 1000 meters (3280 feet) below the surface. This is true; in fact, they can go more than double that, down to 2,200 meters (7218 feet). This and its choice of Arctic habitat makes it difficult for scientists to spot living specimens in the wild.
• Although Greenland sharks are dangerous in-game, and Jean-Eric has said they have been known to swallow a seal or a reindeer without antlers whole, this shark is not considered dangerous to humans in real life. However, some Inuit legends report them attacking kayaks. Despite its non-confrontational nature, it is frequently depicted as a threat in media.
• This shark has one of the lowest recorded swimming speeds; its top speed is only about half the maximum swimming speed of the typical seal. Their average speed is about 0.76 miles per hour (0.3 meters per second). Despite their sluggishness, larger Greenland sharks are regularly found to have faster-moving prey in their stomachs. One current theory is that they sneak up on seals that are resting in the water column.
  • Though they target living prey, adult Greenland sharks are also known to be general scavengers, and are not picky eaters.
• This shark is actually one of the largest, comparable to the great white shark. They can reach lengths of up to 23 feet (7 meters) and weights of up to 2260 pounds (1025 kg).
• Measurements taken by scientists suggest that the longest-lived individuals of this species may live past 400 years, making them the longest-lived vertebrate on earth. They most likely average about 390 years of age. Theoretically, they could live for longer than 600 years.
  • Some scientists thought they had potentially discovered a 512-year-old Greenland shark, but the female shark in question had a wide range of age estimates that ranged to possibly 512 years. She was most likely somewhere below that.
• The Greenland shark is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
• Other common English names for the Greenland shark include sleeper shark, grey shark, ground shark, and gurry shark. However, it also has many other names from cultures around the world.
  • The name "sleeper shark" also applies to all of the members of the family the Greenland shark belongs to, Somniosidae. They are called sleeper sharks due to their non-aggressive nature and slow speed. The word "somnus" means "sleep" in Latin, which gave rise to both the family name and the genus name of the Greenland shark, Somniosus.
  • Another shark that has been commonly called the ground shark is the sand tiger. However, it is unrelated to the Greenland shark.

Navigation

Large Marine Life

Red Sea Bream • Asian Sheepshead Wrasse • Golden Trevally • Giant Trevally • Largehead Hairtail
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Chinook Salmon • Striped Marlin • Indo-Pacific Sailfish • Olive Flounder • Coelacanth • Red Cornetfish
European Conger Eel • Great White Shark • Scalloped Hammerhead • Sand Tiger • Greenland Shark
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