Even though nature has accustomed us over time to the most diverse surprises, we will never cease to be surprised by creatures and phenomena that present themselves in aspects, places, and forms that we never thought we would see. The officers of the Italian navy know something about it: in Tuscany, they made a close encounter with an animal as rare as it is unusual, which triggered a real wave of reactions and comments on the web.
The discovery happened in the waters of Portoferraio, on the island of Elba. It is certain that a creature like the one we are about to tell you about has never been seen before in this region. For this reason, the news caused a stir. Indeed, one only has to look at this fish to realize that we are dealing with something unusual. The reason? It is a shark with a porcine appearance, capable of making noises very similar to those of a pig.
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image credit: Isola d’Elba App / Facebook
It is no coincidence that this animal ( Oxynotus centrina ) is commonly referred to as a ” pigfish “. Its muzzle, which is certainly not the most pleasant, reminds that of a pig. And it is far from being a common fish in these waters. Although it has already been spotted in the Mediterranean, it usually lives at depths where it is invisible to humans (between 100 and 700 meters) and it is still unclear how it could have been found in an area such as the Portoferraio docks.
Besides the appearance of its muzzle, another feature that sets this animal apart is the sound it makes when it comes out of the water, which resembles the growl of a pig. Italian officers, however, could not hear it because, at the time of its discovery, the animal was already lifeless and was floating on the surface.
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image credit: Isola d’Elba App / Facebook
The specimen, which measures more than a meter in length , is, in any case, a curious discovery that raises questions. The Oxynotus, in fact, is considered a species vulnerable according to the list of endangered species red of the IUCN, and its usual habitat is certainly not the Mediterranean.
Its elongated dorsal fin and characteristic luminous spots, as well as its appearance, were enough to spark a huge debate on the web, with thousands of people expressing their point of view, sometimes with a certain imagination. For example, some have gone so far as to speak of “mutant fish” …
A rather impressive find, don’t you think?
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