Everybody dreads the thought of kayaking in a river or the sea and feeling a slimy creature creep up next to them. For the vast majority of us, it is.
However, it’s the b****y jackpot for Craig Evans. And when he discovered a fossilized fish swimming in the waters off Wales, his luck changed dramatically.
The coastal forager came found something you could anticipate seeing in a horror movie while he was out in the country’s South West.
That’s incorrect; it’s exactly like the movie Teeth. IYKNYK. Google it if you have no idea what I’m talking about since I won’t go into it here.
Craig uploaded a photo of the snapper with its mouth open wide and showing endless rows of razor-sharp gnashers to his Instagram account.
The outdoorsman who posted the image wrote: “I discovered this dead ‘Sea Lamprey’ when sea trout fishing in a West Wales river.
“These natural wonders reproduce in freshwater and eat on microscopic algae and other microorganisms before migrating to the sea to hunt larger fish.
Craig continued by providing more information about how it feeds, saying: “Its terrifying mouth latches itself to the side of the fish and sucks it blood etc. This one weighed about a kilo and was about 2 feet long.
“I had the good fortune to observe many of these spawning in swiftly moving water that was only a foot deep. They all perish after spawning in June.
“Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of these, and the only mammal that eats them is an otter, and then only the very last few inches of its tail.”
The author continues, “These ancient species of jawless fish are a sign of a healthy ecosystem.”
The strange-looking organisms are believed to have existed for over 340 million years, making them extremely durable.
Craig responded to one follower when asked if they could attach themselves to people by saying that it was possible but that he “had never heard of it,” which is, eh, encouraging.
Nevertheless, despite the Lamprey’s kind attitude, many people who saw Craig’s article were still terrified.
“That is the stuff of nightmares for me!” one person exclaimed.
Another echoed the sentiment, calling it “the stuff of nightmares.”
A third exclaimed, “Wowzers!” What a beast that is! I had no idea these were here! Incredible!”
What in the devil’s nightmare of hell is this, someone else chimed in. Arrrrghhh”
Finally, someone remarked, “Reminds me of the movie Teeth.”