What on Earth is this?

Marine Monster Mystery on S.C. Beach

Analysis by Benjamin Radford
Wed Mar 28, 2012 09:54 AM ET
(13) Comments | Leave a Comment

Print

Email

A bizarre creature that washed ashore last week in Folly Beach, S.C., sparked speculation in the area and on the Internet that a dead sea monster might have been discovered.

The tan-brown animal with greenish patches was strange enough, but what really baffled beachgoers was its massive size and the dinosaur-like bony plates on its sides. It's not clear just how long it was, but photos suggest it exceeded 10 feet.

NEWS: What Is This Chupac...d Monster?

Like many washed-up carcasses it carried both a salty stench and an air of mystery. Speculation ran rampant, with commenters suggesting that the creature was everything from a dinosaurian sea monster to a toxin-spawned mutation to a chupacabra.

Scientists, however, were somewhat more skeptical.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/marine-monster-mystery-120328.html

Does this prove that the US Army is effectively mobilizing forces against a 12/2012 alien invasion?

i read about this too. they are saying it’s a ginormous sturgeon, that has been baked by the sun and turned a brownish color

But scientists only guess at how large fish can get... some species can just keep growing and growing. We know just a small amount about sea life.... heck, looks like an old fish to me.

Poor thang is dead now.

JoeTyler said:

Does this prove that the US Army is effectively mobilizing forces against a 12/2012 alien invasion?

definitely looks sturgeon to me - some grow as large as 18-20 feet - massive fish and often referred to as 'monster fish'.

Red said:

definitely looks sturgeon to me - some grow as large as 18-20 feet - massive fish and often referred to as 'monster fish'.

I had to google it, but I think you are right. They have pretty distinctive markings

JoeTyler said:

Does this prove that the US Army is effectively mobilizing forces against a 12/2012 alien invasion?

NDRU said:

Red said:

definitely looks sturgeon to me - some grow as large as 18-20 feet - massive fish and often referred to as 'monster fish'.

I had to google it, but I think you are right. They have pretty distinctive markings

Hmm

That creature looks rather furry comparing to a sturgeon.

Harlepolis said:

NDRU said:

I had to google it, but I think you are right. They have pretty distinctive markings

Hmm

That creature looks rather furry comparing to a sturgeon.

I think what looks like fur is the fibers or spines of the decaying fins.

Mmm... sushi.