A visitant at theCape Lookout National Seashorein North Carolina who come across a “ weird ” ashen , barbed object along the ocean bank has left park staff “ stumped ” as to what the flaky thing might be .
“ I would think they ’re clumped like that on dried pelt of a dead Pisces , ” Zaleski explained , citing a2015 blog postby marine author Susan Scott . In it , Scott writes that alike white spikes in all stage of decay are so common on Baja ’s desert beaches that she often tire shoes to protect her feet .
“ From the first picture show , I almost feel like I can see a fish eye on the bottom left wing of the dry out area with a few stripes leading to it , like to what you might see on a striped burrfish , but it ’s hard to draw conclusions without it in hand , ” said Zaleski .
Porcupine and pufferfish get their name from the unique ability to inflate their bodies with water and stick out sharp spine in an attempt to guard off would - be predators , according to theAtlantic City Aquarium .
The park serving adds another theory to the weed : a plumed worm character that was created using the clean , bony anatomical structure as part of its case .
“ It could be possible that the plumed worm decorate itself with the bones of a porcupinefish , but I ’m run towards just the bones on the dry remains of the Pisces the Fishes itself , ” said Zaleski . “ I ’m certain the park service ecologists will be able-bodied to recount if that inner connection is a tube or a dried Pisces body with a minuscule dissection detection . ”
" piscary scientists at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science , as well as many others , have identify our weird object as the clay of a leach burrfish ( Chilomycterus shoepfi ) . The bony structures are the fish ’s defensive spines . Apparently , these remains can even show up in the fossil book and are make love to fossilist . So no tube worm pillowcase decorations this time . "
