Next Up: #2 seed ALLIGATOR GAR (Atractosteus spatula) vs. #3 Seed Frilled Shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) #2025MMM

While adult Alligator Gars have few predators, humans are their biggest threat. Loss of river-floodplain spawning habitat and overfishing have led to a drastically reduced range, smaller population sizes, and local extinctions (Smith et al. 2020). #2025MMM

Frilled Sharks are not often encountered by humans, however, they are occasionally taken as bycatch in deep-sea commercial trawls and longlines. They're currently considered Least Concern (Smart et al. 2016) #2025MMM

Meanwhile, in Suruga Bay, Japan, Frilled Shark has evaded deep-sea trawlers and moved into shallower water in search of squid. While swimming higher in the water column, a burst of #MMMagic warps this living fossil on a shark trek to Galveston Bay! #2025MMM

Frilled Shark gets her bearings through the murky estuarine waters of the bay, slithering eel-like until she sees a large log just below the surface. WAIT, that's no log… #2025MMM

Alligator Gar catches a glimpse of what appears to be a giant eel swimming her way. The gar paddles her pectoral fins, slowly pivoting for a better look at this bizarre visitor. #2025MMM

Frilled Sharks can eat prey nearly 1/2 their body length, and this living fossil is hungry! A relatively weak swimmer, Frilled Shark makes a stealth approach toward the lumbering Alligator Gar. #2025MMM

Alligator Gar turns just in time to see the serpentine shark swimming directly for its flank, Frilled Shark's toothy mouth agape! #2025MMM

Frilled Shark's rows of needle-sharp teeth clamp down on Alligator Gar's side! #2025MMM

Despite her giant gape and multi-barbed teeth so great at jigging squid, Frilled Shark can't penetrate Alligator Gar's armored scales (basically covered in tooth enamel)! #2025MMM

With a thrust of her paddle-like tail, Alligator Gar bursts forward, while Frilled Shark slides down the gar's body, teeth scraping but not gripping…until reaching gar's pelvic fin, a weaker spot! #2025MMM

Frilled Shark's teeth tear through the fellow living fossil's fin turning it to ribbons, a small pulse of blood clouds the water around the battle. #2025MMM

Gar curves her body nearly 180 degrees, Alligator Gar's armored scales make her SEEM rigid, but she's actually flexible! Alligator Gar GRABS Frilled Shark with her DOUBLE-ROW of conical sharp teeth! #2025MMM

Frilled Shark has no armor! Alligator Gar's teeth sink in to the sharks sand-papery, scaly skin!! #2025MMM

Alligator Gar begins its characteristic quick open-close jaw movements shimmying Frilled Shark into position to be swallowed head first. #2025MMM

As Alligator Gar begins to swallow Frilled Shark, Gar realizes this prey is too large to consume!!! Alligator Gar releases the mortally wounded chondrichthyan! #2025MMM

Lacerated Frilled Shark takes her final swim down to the bottom of the delta. Alligator Gar, still hungry, is the last of these two living fossils that remains... living in #2025MMM