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Mysterious ‘alien-like' sea creature that can devour prey 3 TIMES its size is found on UK beach
'Sea mice' have sharp bristles that can cause irritation if they pierce the skin
STUFF OF NIGHTMARES Mysterious 'alien-like' sea creature that can devour prey 3 TIMES its size is found on UK beach
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BEACHGOERS are being warned to be on the lookout for a mysterious "alien-like" creature after one was discovered on a UK beach.
"Sea mice" are marine worms with a furry appearance that are unlike anything else in the sea and can grow up to six inches long.
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'Sea mice' are active predators but are often washed ashore
A dog walker found one of the strange critters recently on a beach in Wales.
They are active predators, hunting small crabs and other worms on the seabed – but are often washed ashore.
It comes after beachgoers were urged not to pick up cone snails' shells as their venom can cause instant paralysis or even death.
While they are not typically harmful to humans, "sea mice", which get their scientific name from Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love, have sharp bristles that can cause irritation if they pierce the skin.
Simon Parker recently discovered one of the creatures on a Welsh beach prompting discussion on social media due to its curious appearance.
Compared by many to a fossil and even an "alien", the sighting has left many admitting that they had never seen anything quite like it.
Simon was left flabbergasted after discovering one of the six-inch long creatures at Pensarn Beach, Conwy, and turned to tech to determine exactly what it was.
Uncertain of its identity and intrigued by its green-flashing fringe he used Google Lens to determine it was a sea mouse.
"I found it at the water's edge just after low tide," he told Wales Online.
"Unfortunately it didn't appear to be alive. The sea mouse was approximately five or six inches long with brightly coloured bristles down the sides."
Sea mice are not a rare species but their sightings are infrequent, often being washed ashore during stormy weather or left behind by exceptionally low tides.
Another of them was located in March on Oxwich beach in Swansea.
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The Wildlife Trusts say the sea mouse is "unlike anything else in the sea".
Despite its potential to reach 20cm in length and 6cm in width this intriguing find is in fact a type of marine worm.
Although it has a tendency to bury itself head-first in the sand this creature boasts a remarkable set of skills.
Its spines typically have a deep red sheen, serving as a warning to potential predators.
However when exposed to light, they flash blue, green, and gold, giving the worm a dazzling, iridescent appearance.
This phenomenon, known as pseudo-birefringence, is the only known example of "photonic engineering" in nature, says the WT.
The spines process light with nearly 100% efficiency – a necessity in the dimly-lit depths of the sea.
Some researchers believe that this unique ability could lead to the development of new communication technologies.
Beauty and the beast
While this creature is technically a marine worm, it is believed that the name "sea mouse" originated from its resemblance to a bedraggled mouse when washed up on shore.
Its Latin name, Aphrodita aculeata, is equally peculiar. While aculeata translates to "spiny" the genus name Aphrodita refers to the ancient Greek Goddess of Love – allegedly due to the worm's resemblance to female genitalia.
The sea mouse is an active predator that feeds on small crabs and other worms and is capable of consuming prey over three times its own body length. Every now and then they can be seen wriggling across the sand – a sight that invariably unnerves beachgoers.
