The phallic-looking creatures arrived in California following a storm that uprooted them from their habitat • It is a worm that has existed for about 300 million years and is considered a delicacy in China
"Penis fish" washed ashore // Photo: AP
Is that a bird? Is that a plane? No, these are Finns! Thousands of "throbbing pinfish" were washed down the California coast, as seen in the bizarre images of the phalanx-like creature.
The official name for the strange marine creatures is "The Oasis Inn Worms," and experts say it believes the recent storm in the "Drake Beach" area is why many of them suddenly appeared mysteriously on the beach. Ivan Farr, a biologist from the Western Division of the Wildlife Society, spotted them on Dec. 6, explaining that the plump worm is usually 10 inches and usually lives underwater and matures in mud or sand. The recent severe storm is the one that apparently led them to shore.
"I've heard the imaginary theories people talk about on the beach," says Farr, "which is a cargo of sausages that fell from a passing ship. Of course, that's not the reason for the strange scene we were allowed to see. Strong - especially in El Niño years - are able to block the area between the sea and land, dismantle the sediment and leave their contents stranded on the shore. "
The innkeeper's worm, which can live up to 25 years, usually eats bacteria, plankton and other small particles, which it collects through "sticky mucus networks." Farr says he has heard about strange creature sightings over the years in California, including Budge Bay and Princeton Harbor, but made it clear that these revelations are rare.
The creature is already 300 million years old, and knowledgeable people say it is quite tasty. On the websites reporting the strange flood, "penis fish" have been particularly popular in China, and "their taste is reminiscent of oyster flavor."
