A frightening sea creature has disturbed beachgoers after washing up on the shore of a Southern California beach.
The marine life appears to be a moray eel, but specifically “it looks a little bleached from being dead,” said Tim Daly of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. SF gate.
Moray eels are common in Southern California and are known to live in shallow waters filled with reefs for hiding, according to Britannica.
The ocean specimen was found in Dana Point on Saturday, prompting an image to be posted online and generating thousands of comments.
The long creature was seen tangled in seaweed, lying in the sand as its sharp teeth poked through its open mouth.
A moray eel appeared off the coast of Dana Point on Saturday, scaring beachgoers
Moray eels are common in Southern California and are known to live in shallow waters filled with reefs and rocks for hiding (pictured: Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point).
One Reddit user who saw the image was so alarmed that he claimed the fish would give him “nightmares.”
Someone else wrote: ‘Horribly stupid thing, what the f**k!’
“I hate it,” said another.
‘Those things look so strange. But as others have already said, it’s definitely not an alien but an eel,” added a fourth.
While some had never seen the sea creature before, one viewer said they were more common than some might think.
‘They are abundant; You’d be surprised,” someone said on Facebook.
Another Reddit user said: “When this thing is on the beach, stay out of its reach. That’s a moray eel…”
‘Brunettes are great and I love them. “Sorry, just needed to get that out there,” said another.
Compared to typical eels, this species has small, round gills and typically lacks pectoral fins, which help the fish make changes in its direction from side to side.
Although they do not have scales, they have thick, smooth skin, as well as strong jaws and extremely sharp teeth.
Moray eels typically eat reef fish, octopus, crabs, sea urchins, lobsters, and shrimp, and are known to leave grizzly bear wounds on their prey.
They are also known to seriously injure humans.
“They are prone to attack humans only when disturbed, but then they can be quite ferocious,” Britannica said.
Although they do not have scales, they have thick, smooth skin, as well as strong jaws and extremely sharp teeth.
The species can also be found on coral reefs from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to southern Baja California in Mexico, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Eels are also known to have a deep-rooted history, as they are believed to have once been consumed by the ancient Romans, SFGATE reported.
In late September, vacationers on Oregon beaches were stunned to see a huge, strange-looking sea creature wash up on the shore.
A giant sunfish, also known as a mola mola, was the third seen since June at Hug Point State Park in Clatsop County.
The wrinkled gray fish with large eyes and fins was dead when it appeared in the sand, but visitors were still intrigued by the sight.
It looks like “the invention of a mad scientist,” as the Monterey Bay Aquarium describes it.
The mola mola fish is considered a “vulnerable” species with a declining population, according to New Tides Conservation.