A fisherman earlier this week found a strange item off the Cabo, Mexico, coast. The pictures depict a pink and white monster with big, protruding bellies and alien-like eyes. It has many online debating what it may be.
Authorities in the area claim that the ,,alien fish” is simply a huge shark with unusual pigmentation. After being notified of the surprise catch by Jaime Rendon, Captain of Dr. Pescado, Pisces Sportfishing Fleet revealed the ,,alien fish” to the public on Tuesday.
A client of Rendon’s caught the odd swell shark in 370 feet of water, roughly a mile offshore. The creature’s raspy skin, three rows of small teeth, and three gill slits on each side of the head made it obvious that it was most definitely a shark. At first he even thought it was an extraterrestrial.
Given that most sharks have five to seven gills on each side, the skipper believed the shark’s peculiarly shaped, greenish eyes were its most striking characteristic. The captain chose to release it once again into the sea.
The group was able to determine that the object is a swell shark, Cephaloscyllium ventriosum, after conferring with specialists. These sharks are normally a yellowish-brown tint with black blotches, while young ones are whiter. The pink hue of this specific specimen suggests that the shark is either albino or leucistic, meaning it is entirely or partially colorless.
The shark was captured close to Cabo, and among other characteristics, its strange-looking eyes reveal its identity since swell sharks are recognized for having large, oval-shaped eyes. These sharks may be found in subtropical seas from Central California all the way down to Central C.