Not only are local residents baffled after spotting 'alien egg pods' in an Oklahoma lake, but they are also warning others that these pods will proliferate in significant numbers during the upcoming summer
On social media , the image of 'alien egg pods' leaving several people stunned.
The image of 'alien egg pods' was shared by The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation on its Facebook accountt.
In the post, they write: 'What is that??? If you're out boating somewhere like McGee Creek Reservoir you may notice these strange jelly-like balls hanging from submerged tree limbs'.
In the post, 'alien egg pods' were seen as sizable, jelly-like spheres with a sturdy outer shell hanging from submerged tree branches.
Below the post, 'alien egg pods' left several baffled and concerned about the environment.
In the comments section, numerous users shared their thoughts about this strange creature, while others expressed their fear on social media. Some suggested that 'alien egg pods' must be from outer space.
One person said: Ooohhhh reminds me of the film cacoon!! Was it called that ??? Please going nuts here now
A second wrote: Wait for them to hatch and see if the aliens have a cure for cancer or the housing crisis... Only hope we have left ...
While a third commented: It feels like of like a mushroom for the water when reading your description. Cool.
Someone else said: Fun fact, chitin is also the substance in mushrooms and exoskeletons of shellfish.
Another added: Heck well good thing its good for the water looks like that stuff rubbed my hand in getting. That lure. Back. Last year
The mystery surrounding 'alien egg pods' has left local residents stunned.
These 'alien egg pods' was determined bryozoans.
According to th authorities, 'alien egg pods' are actually simply bryozoans, existing for hundreds of millions of years—predating the emergence of dinosaurs on Earth.
In the post wa uploaded by The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC), they explained:
'These are Bryozoans, and they'll likely show up in large numbers this summer. Don't be alarmed these microorganisms are native and are of no danger to you or wildlife.
'In fact, they are an indicator of good environmental quality and clear water!'
According to reports, these creatures reproduce by cloning themselves into large clusters to filter minute particles from the water for sustenance, thereby contributing to the purification of the lake.
Additionally, these bryozoan clusters are composed of numerous tiny organisms known as zooids, each fractionally small, residing collectively in a gelatinous mass. They were recently observed in McGee Creek Reservoir, situated on the southwestern periphery of the Ouachita Mountain Range.
These bryozoans have been recorded as dating back 470 million years.
Bryozoan clumps are actually hundreds of creatures, known as zooids. It is not only lack any respiratory, but also featuring both male and female reproductive organs.
They propagate through self-cloning and dissemination via cell clusters called statoblasts.
Addionally, bryozoans possess a central nerve ganglion enabling them to respond to stimuli.
Under favorable conditions, each statoblast can reproduce asexually if detached from a colony, facilitating the proliferation of bryozoan clusters in abundance.
These organisms subsist on phytoplankton and bacteria present in water bodies.
Fossil evidence indicates the existence of ancient bryozoans dating back approximately 470 million years. Fossils suggest that bryozoans may have evolved from an ancient marine worm.