Earlier this week, a fisherman pulled something bizarre from the ocean just off of Cabo, Mexico.
The photos reveal a pink and white creature with alien-like eyes and a massively distended belly, spurring speculation across the internet as to what it might be.
Local experts have confirmed that the ‘alien fish’ is actually a swell shark that lacks typical pigmentation.
Earlier this week, a fisherman pulled something bizarre from the ocean just off of Cabo, Mexico. The photos reveal a pink and white creature with alien-like eyes and a massively distended belly, spurring speculation across the internet as to what it might be
The ‘alien fish’ was revealed on Tuesday by Pisces Sportfishing Fleet, who was told of the unusual catch by Jaime Rendon, Captain of Dr. Pescado.
Since its brief capture, the small shark has been released back into the wild.
A client of Rendon’s caught the bizarre swell shark roughly a mile off the shore in 370 feet of water.
A client of Rendon’s caught the unusual swell shark roughly a mile off the shore in 370 feet of water. The captain said the most striking feature was its oddly shaped, greenish eyes. Thinking it may be endangered, the captain released it back into the water, where it ‘swam off back down to where it had come from’
Though he initially thought it might be an alien, the creature ‘had raspy skin, three rows of tiny teeth and three gill slits on each side of the head,’ indicating that it was likely a shark.
This is particularly unusual, as most sharks have 5-7 gills on each side, but the captain said the most striking feature was its oddly shaped, greenish eyes.
‘I was really surprised, but what caused most impact were the eyes, so strange,’ Rendon told the organization.
Thinking it may be endangered, the captain released it back into the water, where it ‘swam off back down to where it had come from.’
The pink shark’s huge belly caused many to believe it was a swell shark.
These sharks are known for their ability to engorge themselves with water or air to make it difficult for predators to bite or swallow them.
But, many people still had questions.
On Wednesday, Pisces Sportfishing Fleet wrote, ’Even if it is a swell shark, why is it this color and why does it only have three gill slits? The scientists are still reviewing and will let us know when they have an answer.’
Swell sharks are known to have large, oval shaped eyes, and mouths which contain 50-60 small teeth in the upper and lower jaws. They are found in subtropical waters from Central California to as far south as central Chile
The organization reached out to experts, who were later able to confirm that the creature is, in fact, a swell shark, Cephaloscyllium ventriosum.
Typically, these sharks are a yellowish-brown colour with dark splotches, though juveniles are lighter.
The pink hue of this particular specimen is an indicator that the shark is either albino or leucistic, meaning it lacks total or partial pigmentation.
Among other characteristics, the alien-like eyes of the shark caught off Cabo also hint at its identity, as swell sharks are known to have large, oval shaped eyes.
These sharks are found in subtropical waters from Central California to as far south as central Chile.
