# IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA!!! With newslink & photos. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 31, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407 "2008-07-31T20:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/21 "2008-08-01T16:16:23Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] Looks to me like the decomposing carcass of a little blunt-nosed dog, like some sort of pug mix, unfortunately. The prognathism of the skull looks too blunt for a raccoon or some sort of large rodent. You can see canine teeth, as well. [/QUOTE] I can’t tell if those are canine teeth or the bottom incisors of a rodent on my computer (looking at the slightly larger picture). You’re right, it does look like a pug. I also looked at photos of capybara skulls and they’re too long. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/22 "2008-08-01T17:35:06Z")
I’d put down money that it’s a decomposing [muskrat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskrat), assuming it’s the right size. From the photo, I’d guess that the skin on its face is decomposing, exposing the large front teeth and making them look like a beak. (See the skull photo on the Wikipedia page.) ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/23 "2008-08-02T03:02:58Z")
Here is a higher res photo of it: [http://i37.tinypic.com/xdyst2.jpg](http://i37.tinypic.com/xdyst2.jpg) I’m thinking it’s a fake, just because there is only one picture of it. If I found that thing washed up on the shore and had a camera with me, I’d damn sure be taking a photo from every possible angle. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/24 "2008-08-02T03:29:55Z")
I think **The Weird One** might have gotten it right. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/25 "2008-08-02T05:45:10Z")
I’m not sure what it is, but I don’t think it’s a turtle. Since when do turtles have teeth? This is a [raccoon skull](http://www.fwnp.com/raccoon-skull.htm), and it doesn’t look beak-like enough, either. And how big is it? It must be pretty big to have raccoon be in the running - but how could it also possibly be a pug? Pugs are a hell of a lot smaller than even the juvenile raccoons I’ve seen up close. (my mom used to feed them, so I’ve seen raccoons up _real_ close) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/26 "2008-08-02T15:24:21Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] I’m not sure what it is, but I don’t think it’s a turtle. Since when do turtles have teeth? This is a [raccoon skull](http://www.fwnp.com/raccoon-skull.htm), and it doesn’t look beak-like enough, either. And how big is it? It must be pretty big to have raccoon be in the running - but how could it also possibly be a pug? Pugs are a hell of a lot smaller than even the juvenile raccoons I’ve seen up close. (my mom used to feed them, so I’ve seen raccoons up _real_ close) [/QUOTE] I agree about the turtle thing - that’s clearly **not** a beak, because it has teeth, and the two don’t go together. It looks like all the teeth in the upper jaw have fallen out, but most of the teeth in the lower jaw are still there. And now that I look closer at the high-res photo, I don’t think it’s a muskrat. The teeth look like a dog’s or raccoon’s. I disagree that pugs are smaller than raccoons; raccoons have a lot of fluffy fur, but I’d say the frame is about the same size. Here’s a [guy with a pug](http://www.angelfire.com/fl5/passport/imgHandler/00Handler01.jpg) and here’s a [guy with a (juvenile) raccoon](http://dragonladysworld.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/mmm_grapes.jpg). And here’s a [raccoon with a beagle](http://slog.thestranger.com/files/2006/09/raccoon.jpg), just for shits and giggles. Pugs have short, curly tails, though. I’m changing my vote to raccoon. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/27 "2008-08-02T17:12:05Z")
If that’s the lady in question, I don’t blame him for not wanting to have sex on the first date. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/28 "2008-08-02T18:34:10Z")
The tail rules out capybara. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/29 "2008-08-02T18:37:58Z")
[QUOTE=Renee] Here is a higher res photo of it: [http://i37.tinypic.com/xdyst2.jpg](http://i37.tinypic.com/xdyst2.jpg) I’m thinking it’s a fake, just because there is only one picture of it. If I found that thing washed up on the shore and had a camera with me, I’d damn sure be taking a photo from every possible angle. [/QUOTE] …not to mention some cell phone footage. Very good point. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/30 "2008-08-02T18:41:19Z")
**IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE _SEAT_!!!** And thought: “Geez, what [lame gimmick](http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2008/04/3d_movies) is Hollywood trying now?” ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/31 "2008-08-02T19:02:26Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] **IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE _SEAT_!!!** [/QUOTE] Boy, that brings back some college memories… ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/32 "2008-08-02T22:15:38Z")
[A few more pics.](http://amnesiablog.wordpress.com/2008/08/02/montauk-monster-pictures-real-or-viral-hoax/) I’d put my money down with The Weird One’s on a decomposing muskrat. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/33 "2008-08-02T22:41:30Z")
Dead dog. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/34 "2008-08-02T22:57:42Z")
Notice that the two sets of photos from different sources (in **psycat90** ’s link) show the creature laying on different sides of its body. That means that… _somebody flipped it over_. Ecccchh. Those sure do look like pitt bull ears. But I was amazed how much the capybara skull does resemble a beak! I had no idea – ignorance fought. I think a telling feature may be the convenient piece of seaweed on the front paw, in the “beak” photo. Is it hiding something? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/35 "2008-08-03T06:45:30Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] Dead dog. [/QUOTE] I agree, on the new pictures what looked like rodent incisives are clearly canines. It rules out a rodent. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/36 "2008-08-03T06:51:25Z")
It’s a skillfully accomplished PhotoShop hoax. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo\_Pin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mojo\_Pin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo_Pin)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/37 "2008-08-03T07:05:32Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] It’s a skillfully accomplished PhotoShop hoax. [/QUOTE] Whys it got to be photoshop? The second set looks to be ‘natural’ enough, pretty much looks like a mutt with the fleshy part of its snout decomposed off. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/38 "2008-08-03T17:49:12Z")
[QUOTE=psycat90] [A few more pics.](http://amnesiablog.wordpress.com/2008/08/02/montauk-monster-pictures-real-or-viral-hoax/) [/QUOTE] The thing does look a lot more canine in that second set of photos. I’m gonna go with dog. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/39 "2008-08-03T23:14:55Z")
On seeing the new pictures it’s definitely a dog. I do wonder if the other picture was doctored a little to make it look weirder or if the body was just posed to make it look weirder (yes, ick!). ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407/40 "2008-08-04T00:33:37Z")
It’s an evil Koala, its new form is from corruption brought about by the new Animal Emperor, who uses dark rings and spirals to force animals to do his bidding. Huh? What’s Digimon? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-came-from-beneath-the-sea-with-newslink-photos/458407.md?page=3)