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Beachgoers stunned after spotting 'Dune' monster in real life

Sunday, 31/03/2024, 08:10 (GMT+7)

A 'vampire' creature with a mouth full of swirling teeth was spotted on the beach, leaving beachgoers stunned.

Tourist stunned after spotting a 'Vampire creature' on a beach

Will Miles, a warehouse worker from Devon, stumbled upon a strange sight during a post-work stroll on a beach near Exmouth Marina. 

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The creature, resembling a 'vampire,' was seen near the Welsh coastline. Image Credits: Jarco Havermans via Pen News

A creature was described as a monstrous sandworm from the sci-fi epic "Dune".

This 'vampire' creature measures around 80cm (just under the height of a two-year-old!) and resembles a giant leech with a mouth full of sharp, inward-pointing teeth.

No wonder it earned the nickname "vampire fish" – it feeds by attaching itself to prey and sucking their blood.

The picture of the 'Dune' Monster was shared on social media, leaving viewers horrified.

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Identified as a Sea Lamprey, it's an ancient species growing up to two feet long. Image Credits: Jarco Havermans via Pen News

Mr. Miles' photo, shared on a naturalist Facebook page, sparked a wave of reactions.  

While some correctly identified the creature, others saw a resemblance to the colossal sandworms from "Dune" – even using the Fremen name "Shai-Hulud."

One person said: Lampreys. They were a popular food dish in the middle ages.

Second wrote: King Henry 1st died from eating a surfeit of lampreys.....very popular food source in the Middle Ages.

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The Sea Lamprey has a circular mouth and terrifying teeth for blood extraction. Image Credits: Jarco Havermans via Pen News

A third commented: Dune 2 is an incredible movie. I didn't have high expectations after the first one but was blown away by it so go see it if you already haven't and treat yourself.

Someone else said: Jesus ! you don't want to be swimming around in the shallows & that latching on to your knobbler.

It may not be a Dune sandworm, but you have to wonder what it`s Dune there anyway? Another 

This  "Dune" Monster is actually a sea lamprey.

The sea lamprey also triggered a sense of unease for some commenters.  Reactions ranged from "terrifying" and "fish of nightmares" to vows of never swimming in the sea again.  

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This discovery sparked interest and discussion about the ancient Sea Lamprey species. Image Credits: Jarco Havermans via Pen News

While once widespread in the UK, sea lampreys are now considered rare due to water quality issues and man-made barriers in their breeding rivers.

This unexpected encounter left Mr. Miles understandably surprised, having never seen one washed ashore before.

This is not the first case; previously, another beachgoer also encountered this vampire-like creature

Previously, Craig Evans shared the striking photograph on his Instagram after discovering the multi-toothed creature during a fishing trip.

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A fisherman reported seeing a terrifying 'vampire creature' in a river located in West Wales. Image: coastal_foraging_with_craig/Instagram

The creature in the picture has been described as a terrifying 'vampire' after being spotted in the water near the Welsh coastline.

Well, his creature is a Sea Lamprey, a species that dates back 340 million years and can grow up to two feet in length.

The terrifying 'vampire creature' was called a Sea Lamprey. It features a distinctly circular mouth with horrifying teeth designed solely for extracting the blood of its prey.