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An incredibly rare shark said to be from the age of dinosaurs has been caught off the coast of one of Britons' favourite holiday spots.

The frilled shark - described as a "living fossil" because the species dates back to prehistoric times - stunned scientists when it was hauled onto a commercial trawler.

The snake-like fish has rows of hundreds of razor-sharp teeth and is rarely seen by humans.

Researchers say the species dates back 80 million years - one of few creatures to still exist from that era - and is believed to have inspired sailors' tales of sea serpents.

(Image: Sic Noticias)

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The male fish was hauled on board a research vessel off Portugal's Algarve coast in August.

Scientists were working on an EU project which aims to protect "unwanted catches" from commercial fishing boats.

Portugal's Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere said the five-foot long fish was caught at a depth of 2,300ft off Portimao.

(Image: Reuters) (Image: Reuters)

It said the species resides throughout the Atlantic - including Scottish waters - but it is rarely captured because it lives at such great depths.

It has also been found in the Pacific.

Researchers hope the discovery will shed more light on the species, as very little is known about it.

University of Algarve Professor Margarida Castro told Sic Noticias that the shark gets its name from the frilled arrangement of its 300 teeth.

The teeth allow the shark to trap its prey - including squid, fish and other sharks - in "sudden lunges".