Rare crocodile shark spotted in UK waters for first time
The shark species is usually found in tropical places such as Brazil and Australia.
A rare shark which usually lives in tropical waters has been spotted in the UK for the first time.
The creature, believed to be a crocodile shark, washed up dead on a beach in Plymouth, Devon.
Staff at the nearby National Marine Aquarium said they did not believe the species, which is usually found in places such as Brazil and Australia, had ever been recorded in British waters.
Aquarium curator James Wright said the cold waters could have caused a shock to the animal's system and accounted for its death.
The species, which is listed as "near threatened", has spiky teeth and is the smallest of the Mackerel sharks, a group that includes the deadly Great White.