(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
A fisherman’s bizarre discovery of a lifeless shark has been described as “the stuff of nightmares”.
The massive-eyed beast was pulled from the depths of Australia with a protruding white mouth and a seriously pointy nose and a photo of it caused a stir online.
Sydney’s Trapman Bermagui was left baffled by his unlikely catch 2,133ft underwater, as were social media users who came up with their own theories, from sensible to hilarious.
Since a snap of the predator’s head was uploaded to Facebook on Monday, September 14, it has been liked more than 1,000 times and commented on by around 250 people.
One person reacted: “Nightmare stuff over there.”
“He looks really happy he just took his braces off so it accentuates the gums and teeth,” wrote a second.
A third even suggested it wasn’t a real shark at all, they said: “Man-made…either a sculptor or a mix of DNA with the help of the crisper….”
For several more sane Facebook users, the mysterious creature is a cookie-cutter shark, but Trapman has put the claims to rest and given his own identification.
He told Newsweek: “Totally not a cookie cutter. It is a rough-skinned shark, also known as the species of effort dog shark.”
“These sharks are common at depths greater than 600 meters. We usually catch them in the winter.”
Dean Grubbs, associate director of research at Florida State University’s Coastal and Marine Laboratory, offered his own expert opinion to Newsweek.
He said: “In my research on the high seas, we caught quite a few in the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas.
“Ours came from depths of 740 to 1160 meters (~2,400 to 3,800 feet), so a bit deeper than this report. Greenland, but obviously many smaller species.”
Spiny Dogfish are described online as up to 4 feet long and have a short mouth with thick lips that are unlikely to be seen above 4,920 feet deep.
