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The Leech’s Ugly Stepsister

By admin ⋅ June 24, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ 807 views

Although they might seem normal, lampreys are not those type of fish you usually see in the waters. It might not seem appetizing either, but lampreys were consumed since the Middle Ages, especially by royalty. In southwestern Europe, these odd looking animals are considered a delicacy. Be that as it may, this is one of the scariest looking fishes you could encounter in Australia, New Zealand or parts of Africa.

The funnel-like sucking mouth might seem dangerous, but the bite it delivers is not as painful as it looks. The mouth has a clear purpose though: it bores into the flesh of its prey and sucks out all the blood. If you were afraid of leeches, here are their bigger, uglier sister.

photo sources: Wikimedia

Tags: fish, freaky, lamprey, scary