The megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) is an extremely rare species of deepwater shark, and the smallest of the three plankton-eating sharks besides the whale shark and basking shark. Since its discovery in 1976, only a few megamouth sharks have been seen, with 58 specimens known to have been caught or sighted as of May 2014, including three recordings on film. Like the other two filter feeders, it swims with its enormous mouth wide open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. It is distinctive for its large head with rubbery lips. It is so unlike any other type of shark that it is classified in its own family Megachasmidae, though it has been suggested that it may belong in the family Cetorhinidae of which the basking shark is currently the sole member. Megachasma are two extinct species Megachasma comanchensis and Megachasma applegatei.
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