A strange-looking fish was found on the shore of Newport Beach, reports NBC7.
When Ben Estes discovered the bizarre fish on Friday morning (May 7), he contacted state park rangers and lifeguards at Crystal Cove State Park.
According to Davey's Locker Sportfishing & Whale Watching, a boat tour agency in the area, the fish that Estes found is actually a rare find.
The fish was later identified as a deep-sea Pacific footballfish. It's a species of anglerfish that are usually found under the sea more than 3,000 feet below the surface.
"It’s one of more than 300 living species of anglerfish from around the world. Though the fish itself is not rare, it is extremely rare to see one this intact along a beach in southern CA," wrote Davey's Locker in a Facebook post. "The fleshy long dorsal fin, called an illicium, extends in the front of the mouth and has a phosphorescent bulb on the end which can emit light to attract unsuspecting prey closer to it."
It's still unknown why the fish washed ashore almost perfectly preserved.
The Crystal Cove Conservancy said the fish is currently being housed with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. It's still unknown whether it will end up in a museum or educational institutions.
Photo: Getty Images