When you think about how large the world's oceans are, it's no surprise that we don't really know what lives in their depths. The oceans hide many secrets, but sometimes humans accidentally uncover one or two of them. Divers were able to get close to this giant sunfish to get it on camera, and when you think about it, how often does an encounter like this occur?
Now, a father-and-son pair are making headlines for their unbelievable catch on a fishing trip in the Sea of Cortez near Cabo San Lucas.
Scott McLaughlin and his dad Russell were accompanied by a guide, who was just as baffled by the strange-looking creature they finally reeled in. They say that reeling it in was a struggle, and it put up quite the fight.
Scroll down to see the mysterious "alien" fish Scott and Russell caught!
Please SHARE if you never thought something like this could exist!
Photo source: Twitter/Chicago Tribune
Scott and Russell McLaughlin were fishing off the coast of Mexico when they caught a very strange fish that not even their guide could identify.
They had a hard time reeling in the "alien" fish.
But when they finally got it in the boat, they were so perplexed by what it was that they kept it in water. Meanwhile, the guide was worried that the creature could be a member of an endangered species, so they decided to release it back into the sea.
Thanks to some photos they took, David Ebert, program director for the Pacific Shark Research Center of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, identified the catch as an albino or leucistic swell shark.
The expert says that these sharks are common in the area, but that this is the first time he's seen an albino or a leucistic one.
The swell shark was described to have "raspy skin, three rows of tiny teeth and three gill slits on each side of the head." Freaky!
Please SHARE if this unbelievable find blew your mind!
