'Strange and Fascinating' Deep-Sea Creature Washes Up on Beach in 'Very Rare' Sighting

The Pacific footballfish, a species of anglerfish, glows in the dark and has teeth resembling "pointed shards of glass," according to Crystal Cove State Park

A rare deep-sea creature washed up on a California beach for the second time since 2021, sparking curiosity and awe among experts.

The Pacific footballfish — a type of anglerfish that typically dwells in the dark depths of the ocean — was found intact at Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach on October 13, according to a Facebook statement from the California park.

"Guess who washed up just in time for Friday the 13th? It's angler fish #2 at Crystal Cove State Park!" Crystal Cove shared on social media. "In May of 2021, the same species of angler fish, Pacific Football Fish, was found onshore by a park visitor creating quite the buzz. Two years later, the same species of fish has washed up again last Friday, October 13th. What does it all mean?"

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife obtained the eerie-looking creature found on the beach this year "for further research," according to the post.

Over 200 species of anglerfish roam the oceans worldwide, Crystal Cove State Park added, sharing that "only females possess a long stalk on the head with bioluminescent tips used as a lure to entice prey in pitch-black water as deep as 3,000 feet!"

Anglerfish have teeth that resemble "pointed shards of glass" with a massive mouth that can swallow prey "the size of their own body," per the park's statement.

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Males grow about an inch long and exist only to mate with females, which can reach up to 24 inches in length, the statement continued. They "latch onto the female with their teeth and become 'sexual parasites,' eventually coalescing with the female until nothing is left of their form but their testes for reproduction."

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Spotting an intact anglerfish is "very rare," the park added, noting "it is unknown how or why these fish ended up onshore."

“Seeing this strange and fascinating fish is a testament to the curious diversity of marine life lurking below the water’s surface in California’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and as scientists continue to learn more about these deep sea creatures it’s important to reflect on how much is still to be learned from our wonderful and mysterious ocean!" Crystal Cove concluded its post.

Related: Rescued Alligator with Top Half of Jaw Missing Finds New Home at Florida Park

According to the park, the Pacific footballfish discovered two years ago is being kept at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.

In May 2021, the same species that washed up in Crystal Cove State Park was 18 inches in length, the park said in an Instagram post at the time.

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