Mystery pink and white 'alien' creature identified
A pink and white 'alien' shark pulled from seas off the Mexican coast has been identified as a rare albino swell shark.
The bulbous white creature with white skin that looked almost sunburnt was hooked in the waters of the Cabo corridor last month at El Tule.
The rare catch was angled by Jamie Rendon, skipper of the Dr Pescado vessel, who described the shark as having "raspy skin, three rows of tiny teeth and three gill slits on each side of the head”.
“I was really surprised but what caused the most impact was the eyes, so strange,” Rendon told the Pisces Sportfishing Fleet.
It was presumed the fish, which would look almost cute if it did not look so strange, was identified as a swell shark – a small species that can puff its body to twice its size when threatened.
People on social media opined that the fish looked alien before it was identified as an albino swell shark.
"Alien Fish Mystery Solved - after studying the photos the experts agree that the strange fish is an albino swell shark - still alive and well!" Pisces Sportfishing Fleet wrote on Facebook.
"Thanks Jamie for the great story and for releasing this cute critter."
With such a vast and unknown expanse beneath the ocean's surface, humans are always pulling oddities from the water.
Bizarre monster of the deep washes up at Lake Macquarie
Mystery Creature Causes Panic in Taiwan
'Fish with legs' found in Thailand'
But we know what an oarfish is (even if we honestly would prefer it didn’t exist). Some of these other horrifying sea monsters seem to confound attempts at explanation.
Are they throwbacks from millions of years ago? Are they Hell beasts unleashed from the depths of Hades by angry gods bent on punishing us?
Or are they just misunderstood cuddly creatures who deep down inside just want to be our friends?
Well, they can find their own friends.
If none of these unholy abominations resurface from the darkness of the Mariana Trench for another five millennia it will be five millennia too soon.
News break – April 4
