NLast week, a never-before-seen sea creature washed up on the coast of Spain, to the surprise of an unsuspecting sunbather. While we wait with bated breath for the test results to tell us what the heck it is, here's a look at other mystery water-dwellers discovered over the years.
Last week, two rarely-seen oarfish washed up on the shores of California, While we wait with bated breath to find out why, here's a look at other mystery water dwellers discovered over the years.
Two sea serpents washed ashore on southern California shores last week, startling local beachgoers, puzzling marine biologists—and giving rise to countless creepy conspiracy theories. The first sighting of the oarfish was an 18-footer that surprised a diver off Catalina Island. She dragged the dead beast, estimated to weigh 400 pounds, out of the water with the help of friends on October 13. The second, logging in at 14 feet, washed up at Oceanside Harbor five days later.
Mark Bussey/AP
The creature found washed up on the shore of Villaricos, Spain has so far baffled experts who are trying to identify the 13-foot-long carcass with horns. While several theories have been thrown around (perhaps it's the backbone of a shark?), only one thing's for certain: the body, discovered in an advanced state of decomposition, was reportedly emitting quite a stench when it was found.
MMaria Sanches/EPA
In May, a horrifying, 9-meter long creature with fierce teeth washed up on a beach in New Zealand. A video soliciting viewers' opinions on what the creature might be was soon making the rounds on the web. While the jury's still out on this one, some have suggested it may be the head of an orca whale.
Youtube
For over 100 years, legend has it that sea serpants have existed in the waters off the coast of Seattle, WA. This 1906 photo has been cited as proof, showing a creature known as the "Ballard Sea Serpent." Despite the picturesque image, some have suggested that the "sea serpant" in question may actually be a tree trunk with a face carved into it. But since the point of legends is to excite our imaginations, does it even matter?
What would you do if you were walking along the beach and saw a giant eyeball wash ashore? One Florida beachgoer faced this terrifying predicament in October 2012 when the mysterious, sofball-sized appendage was found on a beach in Pompano, FL. Experts later determined that it probably belonged to a rather large swordfish.
This notorious photo of a mystrious monster on the beach in Montauk first surfaced in July 2008. A number of theories have been floated, but experts have yet to agree on a definitive answer to explain the creature's origins. Furthermore, the carcass has since disappeared. This is one mystery that may never be solved, leaving it ripe for outlandish speculation and comparison whenever other monsters make their way to the sand. Two carcasses since have exhibited eery similarities to the famed Montauk Monster, one found in Northville, NY and the other in the East River beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
Move over Loch Ness, you're not the only monster in town! The creature pictured here was found in Scotland before the age of the Internet, but that didn't stop the news from spreading...along with speculation on the sinister origins of the 12-foot tall, stumpy-legged beast.
