Status: Identified as a rattail
David Emery forwarded me the link to this creepy looking fish that washed up on the beach on Cayman Brac over the weekend. The local paper there is trying to figure out what in the heck it is:
It is roughly thirty inches long, more than half of which is a long, eel-like tail attached to a fish body. It has pale pink scales, pectoral fins, a dorsal fin and a small feathery fin on its belly. Local fishermen say they have not seen a creature quite like this before. It has boney bristles all along its spine, right down to the tip of its tail and small sharp teeth, which curve slightly inward.
If you have any idea, let them know. I assume it is a real fish. Kentaro Mori speculates that it's a deep-sea creature,
like these. (Remember them? They're the fish that supposedly
washed up on beaches after the Asian tsunami.)
Update: According to the
Cayman Net News, in an article posted January 20, 2006, the mystery fish has been identified: "Croy McCoy, a research scientist at the Department of Environment, told Cayman Net News that, based on the description and photos provided, he believes the fish is a member of the Family Macrouridae (Coryphaenoididae), better known as grenadiers or rattails." (Thanks to Rswilson for posting this link in the comments. And let it be noted that Nemo was right.)
Comments
It looks pretty weird. It sort of has the head of a bass or maybe a cat fish but the way its body goes into a thin tail. I think it was mutated...
Partly decomposed whale corpses are frequently trotted out as "mysterious sea monster".
By the way, I'm pretty sure an eel IS a fish. Is it that unusual to see an "eel-like tail" on a "fish body"? I used to have an aquarium fish called a "dragon-fish".
The boney-bristles down its spine sound like the remains of a dorsal fin.
Picture of a Giant Rattail fish towards the bottom
"Croy McCoy, a research scientist at the Department of Environment, told Cayman Net News that, based on the description and photos provided, he believes the fish is a member of the Family Macrouridae (Coryphaenoididae), better known as grenadiers or rattails. "
http://caymannetnews.com/2006/01/1012/sister/fish.shtml
Also has Color Pictures of the fish.