Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Alice Suffield

The terrifying looking creature which has washed up on a Gower beach

In Swansea people are used to having all sorts of marine animals wash up on their shores.

But one runner was in for a surprise when they stumbled upon a terrifying looking creature from the deep.

Runner Andy Rees saw the unusual looking fish whilst out on a run along Three Cliffs Bay on December 4. You can read more stories about Swansea here.

Read more: Strange looking 'by-the-wind-sailor' sea creatures wash up on the Welsh coast

He said: "I took quite a few photos while on a run. It was actually upside down when I saw it and not a pretty sight. So I gently lifted it over with my foot, not realising I'd put my foot in its mouth!

"It was certainly an unusual thing to see."

Anglerfish can grow up to 200 cm in length (Andy Rees)
They migrate as deep as 2000m (Andy Rees)

The anglerfish he found can normally grow up to 200cm in length and is very distinctive, recognizable by having its head and body depressed, a wide mouth, broad head and a fleshy 'lure' at the end of its first dorsal spine, which is used to attract prey. If you've ever watched Disney Pixar movie Finding Nemo you'll remember it as the fish that tries to catch Dory by enticing it with a hypnotic glowing light.

Its colour is mainly brown or green brown with reddish or dark brown mottling, but it always has a white underside.

The skin is loose and scale-less and the midline of the body is fringed with leaf like flaps. The anglerfish is a slow moving, bottom dwelling fish most commonly seen half buried and concealed in the sediment.

The fish is present in waters up to depths of 550 meters.

It is uncommon to see an angler fish in water shallower than 18m though it may migrate down to as deep as 2000m in offshore waters in order to reproduce.

A spokesperson from the Marine Conservation Society said: "Fishmongers call them monkfish; its also known as Lophius piscatorius. It’s likely the fish has ended up on the coast as a result of the stormy weather we’ve been having lately. They’re pretty common in UK waters."

Get Swansea stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.