A mysterious fish featuring the head of reptile and petrified scales has reportedly been caught by fisherman in Russia’s northern Arkhangelsk region.
The mutant fish was caught in a net in the Northern Dvina River near a ferry terminal in Bereznik-Osinovo, Arkhangelsk Oblast, local media reports.
The fishermen were unable to identify what kind fish it was. The creature’s head reminds one of a tortoise and its scales are fossilized. It also has thorny needle-like barbs and a sucker.
Its appearance is a bit similar to the angler, a predatory European deep-sea fish. Some people say it may be a rabbit fish which, however, is also a sea-fish – not a river one. The mouth of the fish looks like that of a sterlet – but the whole fish is a far cry from it.
Some experts believe that the mysterious fish is an armored catfish. But this species inhabits Amazonia and it remains unclear how it could find itself in northern Russia.
It is not the first time thar a strange fish has been caught in the Arkhangelsk region. Last year local fishermen caught a fish with human-like teeth. Scientists deduced that was a South American pacu fish which is a kind of piranha.
