Thousands of ten-inch ‘penis fish’ wash up on a beach: fishermen flock to shore to catch them all
- The fish, known as urechis unicinctus, appeared in Argentina after a storm.
- Since then, fishermen have flocked to the beach to collect them for bait.
Thousands of ten-inch ‘penis fish’ have washed up on a beach in Argentina in a strange phenomenon.
The grim-looking sea worms, formally known as urechis unicinctus, lined the beaches of Multillar, north of the Rio Grande.
The creatures flooded the beach after a severe storm on Monday afternoon. This is not an uncommon phenomenon in Argentina with loads of marine worms previously lining the country’s southern shores following torrential weather.
Despite their rather rough appearance, marine worms are highly sought after in Asia for their medicinal properties.
Since then, local fishermen have reportedly flocked to the beach to collect ‘penis fish’ as they are considered to be excellent bait, especially when fishing for bass.
Thousands of ten-inch ‘penis fish’ have washed up on a beach in Argentina in a bizarre phenomenon that has the locals on edge.
Despite their rather rough appearance, sea worms are highly sought after in Asia for their medicinal properties.
Locals photographed the phallic creatures, each measuring around ten inches along the shoreline earlier this week.
Thousands of sea worms have previously washed up on a California beach in 2019, and smaller groups of sea worms have historically been seen along the coasts of Argentina.
Worms like to bury themselves in sand, but storms and ocean swells can easily deflect them ashore.
Also known as “the fat innkeeper worm”, the creatures create a U-shaped burrow in the seabed that is left for other animals to move in, hence their nickname.
Fossil evidence has identified that the creatures have been around for 300 million years. A single urechis unicinctus can live up to 25 years.
While some humans fish for the creatures, larger fish, sharks, seagulls, and otters also compete to hunt down the worms.
The species has gained particular notoriety in Asia, where it is eaten raw for its medicinal benefits due to its high concentration of amino acids.
They are typically sold live in wet markets where customers can specifically select the one they want. Their flavor is described as mild and they offer a texture similar to clams.
The vile-looking sea worm, formally known as urechis unicinctus, lined the beaches of Multillar, about 15 kilometers (about three miles) north of the city of Rio Grande.
A ‘penis fish’ is shown being held in 2019 after it washed up on a California beach
While it is customary in most Asian countries to eat sea worms raw, some regions of China prefer to dehydrate the creatures so they can be stored longer. The ‘penis fish’ are rehydrated when you want to eat them before frying them.
They are usually fished in the shallow waters of the China Seas, but are also found in underwater sand tunnels around the world.
Japan also considers fish a delicacy and combines it with soy sauce and vinegar to make sashimi.
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