Mysterious South Carolina fish with human-like teeth stumps the internet
Many people think the fish is a sheepshead, also known as a convict fish.
(Pam Corwin/ South Carolina Department of Natural Resources )
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday asked its social media followers to identify a fish with “human-like incisors.”
The department posted a riddle to its Facebook page, which reads: “You’ll need a saltwater fishing license to catch me! I like to hang out near rocks, jetties, reefs, and even bridges. I’m also known as the convict fish because of my black and white stripes. The coolest thing about me? I have human-like incisors and molars to help crush my food. I like shrimp and oysters just like you do!”
Many people commented that the toothy fish appears to be a sheepshead, which is also known as a convict fish because its black and white stripes resemble a convict’s jail attire.
“My favorite fish to eat .. but they kinda give me the creeps with their people teeth,” one Facebook user wrote.
“Didn't know sheepshead had teeth like a horse,” wrote another.
“Sheepshead! It always cracks me up,” a third commented.
A sheepshead is also “a type of saltwater fish famed for having a crushing, painful bite when humans grab it the wrong way,” the Charlottesville Observer reported. It allegedly got its name because its teeth look like a sheep’s.
The fish are typically found along the east coast of the U.S., but also in the Gulf of Mexico.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has yet to confirm the fish’s species, however.