A deep-sea fisherman shared a strange, alien catch—a strange, supernatural creature that looks like something out of a science fiction movie.
With a large, bulbous body that resembles a brain, small, shrunken eyes, and a gaping mouth, this fish looks like it came from another planet.
Roman Fedortsov, the fisherman who made the discovery, pulled the creature from the North Pacific Ocean and posted a video of his discovery to his 600,000 followers.
He identified the species as Aptocyclus ventricosus, commonly called the smooth mudfish or smooth mudfish. This deep-sea fish, belonging to the marine ray-finned fish family, can reach up to 44 cm in length.
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Although the fish’s appearance is unusual at first, it appears to have suffered some bloating due to the change in pressure when it was brought to the surface, giving it a distorted and even more alien-looking body.
Roman, who works on a fishing boat in Murmansk, Russia, posted footage of the creature aboard his boat, which quickly went viral, with more than 200,000 views.
Some viewers made pop culture references, with one person calling him “Megamind,” after the cartoon character with a massive head, and another comparing him to the “Dark Lord” from Harry Potter.
Fedortsov is no stranger to capturing strange sea creatures. His collection of bizarre marine life includes a fish with an alien head, another with tentacle-like protrusions protruding from its mouth, and one with teeth that are constantly replaced by new ones growing from the back of its jaw.
These are just a few examples of the many strange and fascinating creatures he’s encountered, earning him a reputation as an internet sensation for his captivating deep-sea photos.
While many commentators find the fish monstrous or ugly, Fedortsov appreciates their uniqueness. “In their own way, all these creatures are beautiful,” he said, sharing his admiration for the diversity of deep-sea life.
