What would a mermaid carry in her purse? If you’re thinking pearls and pretty shells, well, we have some bad news. Try shark eggs.
We’re of course not actually talking about mythical fish-people accessories, but the egg cases of sharks, skates, and chimaeras (or chondrichthyes, if you’re fancy). These leathery, usually black or dark brown pouches can be found washed up on beaches the world over and, to the untrained eye, can look like weird, alien artifacts. They’re commonly called “mermaids’ purses,” or, less optimistically, “devils’ purses.” They’re also very rarely referred to as “skakets.”
To be fair, they’re not all shark egg capsules. Some of them, like these with the four prongs, come from skates.
They look a bit frightening, but they’re just made of collagen protein, and they’re actually soft and leathery.
When not full of eggs, their centers are hollow and full of air.
Sure, they look a little menacing, but they’re just evidence of new ocean babies!
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