Looks like the mystery of the horned sea monster that washed up onto the shore of a Spanish beach has been solved-at least, in one scientist's eyes.
Ichthyologist at Florida State University Dean Grubbs told NBC News that there is no question the mystery beast is a shark.
"The elements toward the back were confusing me, but those are the lower caudal fin supports. The 'horns' are the scapulocoracoids which support the pectoral fins."
The decomposed remains of a 13-foot-long, greyish creature with horns appeared on Luis Siret Beach in the village of Cillaricos last week, and since then, marine experts have been totally puzzled as to what this thing could be.
Civil Protection coordinator Maria Sanchez told the press that a woman walking on the beach first found the head of the mystery creature that some are saying could even be the fabled Loch Ness Monster.
"We have no idea what it was," Sanchez said. "It really stank, as it was in the advanced stages of decomposition."
A four-metre-long horned sea devil has washed up on a Spanish beach (PICTURES) https://t.co/nvh4sn8tuH pic.twitter.com/t6xgA30eXF
— HuffPost UK (@HuffPostUK) August 22, 2013
Initial tests performed by the Program in Defense of Marine Animals indicate that the creature is a "species of fish," but they are not yet sure as to which species exactly.
"It's hard to tell," said Miami shark researcher David Shiffman, "but the official guess is that it could be a thresher shark seems plausible."
Shiffman also told NBC that the horned sea monster could be a giant oarfish-a species that is usually 10 feet long, and can grow up to 33 feet. The deep-sea-swimming animal has only recently been caught on video.
"Certainly the tail looks oarfish-y," Shiffman wrote on Twitter. "It maybe could be a thresher shark-but nothing else."
But for Dean Grubbs, there is no question.
"That is definitely a shark skeleton," he stated.
What does this weird creature look like to you?
