What is this strange creature?
On a day in August 2017, a fisherman set out to sea early in the morning in the waters off Scotland. As he carefully pulled in the net he had set the previous day, he suddenly stopped. The fisherman was curious to see that there were many crustaceans in the net.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that these creatures resembled something extraterrestrial. Therefore, he decided to bring them back and take them to a marine biology research center for experts to examine.
The fisherman was curious to see many crustaceans in the net. (Photo: Sohu).
Experts observed and noted that this shrimp-like object was 28 cm long and had a pale pink shell. They pointed out that these animals had hook-like appendages that could latch onto a person’s body and suck blood. Additionally, this species needs to be examined in detail to determine if it is edible, as many new species carry numerous viruses that can lead to infectious diseases. It could also cause life-threatening poisoning.
After hearing what the experts said, the fisherman’s face turned pale with fear. He had been fishing for many years and had never seen a creature like this before.
Experts examined and concluded this is a new species of crustacean. (Photo: Sohu).
Ultimately, they determined that this was a new species of crustacean. Accordingly, the creatures that the fisherman found were temporarily named ‘Supergiant’ crustaceans and belong to the amphipod group, found at a depth of about 7,000 meters in the Kermadec Trench, located in the waters north of New Zealand.
These creatures typically measure about 3 cm in length and usually swim out of the trench to hunt for food, a process that lasts only a few minutes. However, experts indicated that this is the first time they have seen such a large amphipod.
This creature is temporarily called the supergiant crustacean. (Photo: Sohu).
Researcher Alan Jamieson from the Ocean Lab at the University of Aberdeen expressed his astonishment: “Is this creature really existing on Earth? I never thought a crustacean could grow this large!”
Their appearance is quite similar to a type of crustacean that was found offshore of Hawaii, USA, in the 1980s. This species can also be found in Antarctic waters, but they grow to a maximum length of only about 10 cm.
