A U.S. fisherman recently reeled in a bizarre sea creature with what he described as the “weirdest” mouth he had ever seen. While fishing in New York’s Hudson Valley, Eric Osinkie encountered the unusual marine animal, which left him both amazed and puzzled.
He shared photos of the eel-like creature, showcasing its numerous rows of teeth, on the Catskill Outdoors Facebook group. In his post, he wrote, “Went fishing for the fish that always seem to be just out of my reach—the Catskill Creek trout. I hooked two, lost one while fumbling for my net, and the other snapped my line. But today, I caught a new species. Have a look.”
Speaking to Newsweek, Osinkie described the creature as “by far the weirdest thing I have ever caught.” He estimated the marine animal to be about 2 feet long and compared its mouth to the “Sarlacc pit from Star Wars.” He admitted, “I actually caught it by mistake. At first, I thought it was a stick.”
The peculiar creature appeared to be a mix between an eel and a leech. Osinkie said, “I knew what it was as soon as I pulled it out of my net. It was cool—I’d never seen one in person before.”
Since sharing the image on Facebook last month, Osinkie’s post has gone viral, garnering nearly 500 comments and over 500 shares. Social media users were captivated by the strange-looking animal, with many drawing comparisons to sci-fi and horror films.
One user commented, “It’s the alien from the Alien movie—the one that bursts out of the stomach,” while another added, “Yep! Saw those on River Monsters! So creepy!” A third user remarked, “Looks like something from a scary movie,” and a fourth joked, “This looks like it’s from outer space.”
According to Newsweek, citing the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the creature is a sea lamprey. This parasitic species uses its suction-like mouth and sharp teeth to attach to other fish, puncture their skin, and feed on their body fluids. The sea lamprey’s unique appearance and feeding habits make it one of the more fascinating—and unsettling—creatures found in freshwater ecosystems.
“It’s the alien from the alien movie the one that busts out the stomach,” wrote one user.