‘Vampiric’-looking creature spotted in Utah water. See ‘ghoulish’ species — if you dare
A creepy-looking creature was caught haunting waters in Utah as it prepares for death, just in time for the Halloween season, officials said.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources posted a photo of one of the aquatic creatures lurking in shallow, clear water that only just obscured the long fang-like teeth jutting out of its mouth in an Oct. 20 post on Facebook.
“Cue the spooky organ music: This kokanee is looking a little vampiric just in time for the Halloween season,” officials said in the post along with a vampire emoji. “This species can be especially ghoulish during the fall as their spawning season comes to a close and they begin to die. Sometimes they even develop a fungus on their outsides as their immune system begins to shut down.”
But before that happens, this type of salmon are “spectacular to see,” officials said.
“When it’s time for them to spawn, they turn from silver to bright red, the males acquire humped backs, hooked jaws and elongated teeth,” officials said.
That would explain the creepy vampire teeth.
“So, the zombies of the salmon underworld,” someone joked in the comments.
Wildlife officials did not say specifically where and when the fish was seen.
“Kokanee feed almost exclusively on zooplankton, tiny aquatic animals from the size of a pinprick to the size of a small fish hook,” according to the Bureau of Land Management. “They will also eat tiny plants, insects, and freshwater shrimp when available.”
This story was originally published October 20, 2023 at 5:53 PM with the headline "‘Vampiric’-looking creature spotted in Utah water. See ‘ghoulish’ species — if you dare."
