iStockphoto / gorodenkoff
A mystery deep sea creature has gone viral after footage of it was shared widely on social media with some identifying it as a Phronima.
The see-through sea monster would be nearly invisible underwater and maybe believe this looks more like an alien than the aliens we see in movies.
If fact, the alien connection is so strong the tweet that caused this mystery sea creature (like a Phronima) to go viral had the caption ‘tell me this is not an alien’ on the video. The comments on the video reveal widespread amazement that such a creature exists:
Transparent sea creature found by fishermen. What kind of fish is this? pic.twitter.com/OU14taCymI
— Figen (@TheFigen_) January 7, 2023
When coming across viral videos like this that cannot be unseen, I find it comforting to visit the comments. It is there I find that I’m not the only one baffled by the existence of such creatures.
One person called this creature ‘forbidden jello’ which might be the best description yet. The top comment read ‘put it back’ which seems to be a popular sentiment:
Put it back
— Elizaveta / エリザヴェータ (@elizavetaka) January 8, 2023
If a creature looking like this appeared in a Sci-Fi film as an alien nobody would think twice about it:
I know a alien when I see one
— Brandon Lewis Gibson (@Bgibson04) January 8, 2023
Are we *really* sure we wanted this creature back in the oceans, though?
I dunno but I reckon it’s gasping for air (water)
— Felicity Ward (@felicityward) January 8, 2023
Aliens looking like kittens would be pretty awesome, actually.
Alien? That's assuming "real" aliens don't look like kittens…
— Jim Campilongo (@JimCampilongo) January 8, 2023
This is the real answer. It’s that thing from The Matrix that Neo swallowed:
It’s that thing Agent Smith put in Neo’s belly button
— npc (@digitalnpc) January 8, 2023
Then there are the helpful comments. One person shared a Turkish article about Phronima. These are a genus of “deep sea hyperiid amphipods” according to Wiki and they “are commonly known as parasites.” There are many types so it’s unclear which type this is or might be.
‘Parasites’ isn’t accurate because they are actually parasitoids, and the females feed on live hosts by using “their mouths and claws to eat the animal and hollow out its gelatinous shell.”
That sounds a lot like the plot of Aliens the movie, doesn’t it? This video from 8 years ago claims it is the creature that inspired the movie Aliens:
Here is a deeper look at the female phronima using salps (or jellies) as its host:
What. A. World.