A 15-foot adult male megamouth washed up on the shores of Barangay Marigondon in the Philippines

Megamouth sharks troll the deep sea for the smallest bits of food, plankton and krill, trapping them in the massive caves that are their jaws. They are mysterious and extraordinarily rare -- and almost never seen by humans.

But on the morning of the 28th of January, last week Wednesday, a 15-foot adult male megamouth washed up on the shores of Barangay Marigondon in the Philippines. And according to reports, the shark was dead when fishermen discovered it. It had been trapped in one of the fishermen's nets. After contacting local authorities, it was confirmed to be the ever elusive megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios.

With only 64 previous sightings of this type of shark ever recorded, its discovery was thrilling. The shark's cause of death has yet to be determined but it is believed its body will likely go on display at Albay Parks and Wildlife Centre in the Philippines. See more pics after the cut.