For the second time in three years, a sea creature with sharp teeth that lives at depths of 2,000 feet or more has washed up on an Orange County beach.

Last Friday, October 13, an Orange County beach became a bit like a location for a horror movie - the ocean threw a strange sea creature ashore.

"What does it all mean?" - Crystal Cove State Park asks.

A similar story in Orange County occurred in May 2021. The same species of Pacific fish was found on shore by a visitor to Crystal Cove State Park. Which caused quite a stir and interest from scientists. After all, this fish doesn't usually appear on the surface. It is comfortable where there is no light - in complete darkness.

Crystal Cove State Park said, that fish No. 1 is being kept at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History. Specimen No. 2 was taken for further research by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

There are more than 200 species of anglerfish in the world today. And this particular fish is most likely a Pacific anglerfish," the researchers said. Females have a long stalk on their head with bioluminescent tips. These are used as bait to lure prey into dark water up to 3,000 feet deep. The fish's teeth, which look like pointed shards of glass, are transparent. And the large mouth is capable of sucking in and swallowing prey the size of its own body.

What's more: while females can reach 24 inches in length, males only grow to an inch. And their only goal is to find a female and help her reproduce. Males cling to the female with their teeth and become "sexual parasites." Eventually merging with the female until there is nothing left of their form but testicles to reproduce.

If anything, we didn't make that up, that's the scientists' assertion. And they also believe that this story is just one of many that await us in the future:

"Seeing this strange and fascinating fish is a testament to the interesting diversity of marine life lurking beneath the water's surface in California's marine conservation areas. And as scientists continue to learn more about these deep-sea creatures, it's important to reflect on how much we still have to learn about our wonderful and mysterious ocean."

Image: California State Parks