A Russian fisherman spotted an underwater creature that looks just like a newborn dragon.
Roman Fedortsov, 39, scours commercial trawlers for cod, haddock, and mackerel and occasionally fishes up to 3,000 feet below the surface.
In doing so, the Murmansk-based fisherman catches a variety of strange-looking marine critters, the most recent of which has been called the ‘newly hatched baby dragon’ by internet viewers who were taken aback by its unusual appearance.
It was later determined to be a chimaera, a cartilaginous fish commonly known as a ‘ghost shark.’
Fedortsov has lately discovered more water critters that resemble a hamburger and a luscious jam doughnut.
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Fedortsov, who has become somewhat of an online phenomenon for his stunning images of the alien-like water inhabitants, has uncovered a broad variety of strange and fascinating marine species.
Fedortsov discovered the majority of the species in the Norwegian and Barents seas in northern Russia, but he also spotted a few strange-looking critters in the Atlantic.
The photographs have startled social media users, as Fedortsov’s accounts continue to grow in popularity.
In the comments area, curious Instagram users have been asking what the cheeseburger-like creature is, with over 11,000 loving the image.
One person said, ‘Holy c**p, I didn’t even realise it was a fish,’ while another said, ‘At first, I assumed this was the new chicken sandwich to eat.’
Fedortsov’s collection has recently grown to include an alien-headed fish and another with what seem to be strange tentacles sprouting from its mouth.
Another ancient-looking fish appears to have teeth that have been worn down by misuse and are continually being replaced by fresh teeth from the rear of its mouth.
The trawlerman has become something of an internet celebrity thanks to his photos, with many of them becoming viral despite the fact that he confesses he has no idea what most of them are and just publishes them out of curiosity.
Despite the numerous remarks, he stated that he found all of the fish intriguing and did not agree with people who thought they were hideous creatures.
‘All of these species are lovely in their own way,’ he remarked.
He primarily fishes in the Barents Sea, which lies off Russia’s northern coastlines and opens into the Arctic Ocean. He does, however, go to other regions of the world, notably the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.
He stated that the vast assortment of various animals he was discovering was proof that so little of the ocean depths had been explored by man.
The photographer, who studied marine science at Murmansk University and is a specialist in fish processing and preparation, posted the unusual photographs on his social media pages.
‘All sorts of fish are wonderful in their own way,’ stated the fisherman before. I can’t say they’re’scary’ or ‘ugly.’ People are particularly interested in odd water creatures.
‘Readers have the notion that we bring uncommon fish specimens onboard with each trawl,’ the fisherman continued. ‘In reality, this is not the case. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
‘On the other hand, even a well-known fish can be shot in such a way that it appears to be a’monster.’ The majority of the raised fish do not live owing to the pressure differential, he noted.
