Its long snout is covered with ampullae of Lorenzini that enable it to sense minute electric fields produced by nearby prey, which it can snatch up by rapidly extending its jaws.

The majority of known specimens come from bays of Japan while the rest are mostly found off New Zealand, southern Africa, and in the Eastern Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Though this probably encompasses the range of Mitsukurina owstoni, sightings are so rare and widespread that the presence of goblin sharks could extend well beyond these areas.

(Duffy, 1997; Martin, 1999) They are found in the open ocean from near the surface, down to depths of at least 4265 feet (1300 m).

The Goblin Shark primarily feeds on teleost fishes such as rattails and dragonfish.