A deep sea creature has been identified by local nature enthusiasts after it was described as looking like “something out of Alien”.
An avid beachgoer took to the Facebook group ‘Field Naturalists Club of Victoria’ to identify the strange creatures he found on Step Beach in Fairhaven, Australia.
“Found in a rock pool. It’s pretty hard, plant like …” the user wrote.
The post quickly gained popularity with many suggesting it looked like the brown lady from SpongeBob SquarePants or even a placenta.
“From another planet!” a user commented.
“The ocean never fails to impress,” wrote another.
An Australian beachgoer discovers a mysterious sea creature washed ashore. Victoria Field Naturalists Club
It didn’t take long for the keen naturalist to identify the object in the beachgoers’ search for answers.
The find is likely a sea tulip – an organism covered in lumps and bumps thanks to the encrusted sponge that covers its surface.
It is found as deep as 262 feet in coastal waters.
They grow from the rock on long stalks. It is a filter feeder, so it pumps water in and out of its siphon and extracts its food – plankton.
The reviewer noted the creature was often found around the area with “plenty on Anglesea reefs at the moment”.
But they are not ashamed to admit how strange they are at first glance.
“When I first saw this, they were swarming and looked like something out of Alien!” one said.
“Note to self: Sea tulips look amazing like a brain with a spinal cord still attached,” wrote another.
“Now I know what the old lady from that SpongeBob chocolate episode meant,” one user laughed.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
