Unbelievable facts
An unusual pink fish found off the coast of Mexico last week puzzled the fisherman who caught it and others.
The strange creature was captured by fisherman Jaime Rendon, captain of the “Dr. Pescado” cruise fishing boat in Cabo, on the southern part of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.
Also read: 10 amazing facts you didn't know about sharks
Photos of swollen fish with almost human flesh and black eyes quickly spread on social networks.
Strange shark
However, after studying the fish, experts came to the conclusion that it was most likely a California swollen shark, a species of small sharks native to the Pacific Ocean that fill their belly with water, to scare off predators.
These sharks are also able to inflate themselves with air when they are closer to the surface and release air with a sound reminiscent of dog barking.
California swollen sharks usually have a spotted brown color that helps them blend into the seabed and five narrow gill slits on either side of their heads.
However, the pink color and three gill slits in the fish caught by Randon puzzled experts.
Shark may be a rare case of albinism or leukism, which explains the lack of pigmentation.
California swollen shark
You could see that the shark has black eyes, not pink or red, as in albinism. Although cases of albinism and leukism occur among sharks, this phenomenon is extremely rare, as these sharks rarely survive due to lack of proper color.
Read also: A collection of rarities: animal albinos
In addition, the shark had three rows of teeth and three gill slits. All sharks have 5-7 gill fissures on both sides of their heads, which help them move continuously for a long period of time. For this reason, scientists can't explain why this shark has 3 gill fissures.
This is what a California swollen shark looks like
The fisherman released the shark after it was caught, so we may never know who the animal was.