Did a sand eel eat its way out of a shark? Odd catch made off New Jersey, anglers say
If it’s possible for one fish to eat its way out of another fish, the uncomfortable proof got caught off New Jersey.
A photo of the fish, or rather fishes, was shared Nov. 29 on Facebook by LBI Fishing Charters, which noted: “Only thing that comes to mind is wtf! This is how we caught it.”
The image shows a spiny dogfish with the head of sand lance sticking out of its head. The tail is seen sticking out of its the dogfish’s mouth.
Spiny dogfish are a type of shark that grow to 4 feet and feed on species like the sand lance, or sand eel, which can reach 18 inches.
“Sand eels so thick they spearing right thru heads of cape sharks,” LBI Fishing Charters wrote.
The photo has gotten hundreds of reactions on social media, including jokes and a lot of pity for the dogfish. A few wondered if it was trick photography.
“How does that even happen?” Jennifer Lynne wrote on the charter company’s Facebook page.
“I want to know what had him laughing so hard that he had sand eels coming out his nose,” Richard Stanton posted.
“That’s how I feel when I get anchovies stuck n my teeth!” Oliver Leach said.
So did a sand lance actually eat its way out of a shark? Not exactly, according to John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist with the Fisheries Science and Emerging Technologies Program at Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium.
“Great photo. As dramatic as it looks, the sand lance just found its way out thru the spinydog’s spiracle,” Chisholm explained via his MA Sharks Facebook page.
The spiracle is a small gill slit behind the eye of spiny dogfish, experts say. It’s “used to provide oxygenated blood directly to the eye and brain through a separate blood vessel,” Fisheries and Oceans Canada reports.
LBI Fishing Charters didn’t offer details on the fate of the spiny dogfish, which was surely in misery.
This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 6:05 AM with the headline "Did a sand eel eat its way out of a shark? Odd catch made off New Jersey, anglers say."