# Goblin shark (*Mitsukurina owstoni*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/goblin-shark  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) is a fish in the sharks and rays group, belonging to the family Mitsukurinidae in the order Lamniformes. It is classified in the genus Mitsukurina, class Elasmobranchii and phylum Chordata, and its scientific name was given by Jordan, 1898. The IUCN Red List assesses the goblin shark globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category. Other English names for it include Elfin shark, Elphin shark, Mitsukuri’s shark, Tengu (goblin) shark and Japanese goblin shark.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | up to 99 kg |
| Length | up to 3.15 m |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Elasmobranchii
- order: Lamniformes
- family: Mitsukurinidae
- genus: Mitsukurina
- species: *Mitsukurina owstoni* Jordan, 1898

Synonyms: *Mitsukurina nasuta*, *Odontaspis nasutus*, *Scapanorhynchus dofleini*, *Scapanorhynchus jordani*, *Scapanorhynchus jordoni*, *Scapanorhynchus mitsukurii*, *Scapanorhynchus owstoni*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the goblin shark?

The goblin shark is a fish in the sharks and rays group. It belongs to the family Mitsukurinidae in the order Lamniformes.

### What is the scientific name of the goblin shark?

Its scientific name is Mitsukurina owstoni, placed in the genus Mitsukurina.

### Who named the goblin shark and when?

The scientific name Mitsukurina owstoni is attributed to Jordan, 1898.

### Is the goblin shark endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List assesses it globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

### What other names does the goblin shark have?

It is also called Elfin shark, Elphin shark, Mitsukuri’s shark, Tengu (goblin) shark and Japanese goblin shark.

### What class does the goblin shark belong to?

The goblin shark belongs to the class Elasmobranchii, within the phylum Chordata.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Sharkipedia: a curated open access database of shark and ray life history traits](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6656525), CC BY 4.0, 1.0-2022-06-17. Mull, C.G., Pacoureau, N., Pardo, S.A. et al. (2022) Sharkipedia: a curated open access database of shark and ray life history traits and abundance time-series. Scientific Data 9: 559. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01655-1. Data: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6656525
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/goblin-shark