Pacu, Testicle Eating 'Ball-Cutter' Fish Caught In South Jersey Lake
Father-And-Son Fishing Trip Nets Testicle Eating 'Ball Cutter' Fish
Sara C Nelson— Huffington Post UK
|
As far as father-and-son fishing trips go, this particular sojourn had the potential for a nasty bite.
For the pair netted an exotic Amazonian Pacu fish - in the distinctly untropical waters of Swedes Lake in South Jersey.
Despite displaying a set of strangely human-like gnashers, the Pacu is a close cousin of the scarily-fanged Piranha fish.
Open Image Modal
This Pacu fish was caught in Swedes Lake, South Jersey on Sunday
The freshwater Pacu, which hails from the Amazon, can grow up to 90 cm in length and weigh up to 25 kg.
It primarily feeds on nuts, aquatic vegetation and snails, but has been known to mistake male testicles for tree nuts, lending it a reputation as a “ball-cutter”.
Ron Rossi told 6ABC: “We scoop this thing and brought it up. We didn’t know what kind of fish it was.”
His son Frank was left baffled too and the pair initially believed they had caught a Piranha – though an examination of its chompers and a comparison check online proved them wrong.
Rossi added: “We did pull the bottom lip down to see what they looked like and they have almost human teeth. It’s exactly what it looked like on the internet.”
Thankfully both father and son were merely fishing and not swimming naked and the specimen was not given an opportunity to live up to its fearsome reputation.
Open Image Modal
The pair initially thought they had caught a Piranha
That the freshwater fish, which hails from the Amazon was found in the lake, suggests it was a pet which had been recently released from a home aquarium.
The find prompted a museum in neighbouring Denmark to issue the knee-crossing warning: "Keep your swimwear on if you're bathing in the Sound these days - maybe there are more out there!"
Open Image Modal
The Pacu is a relative of the Piranha (pictured)
"The Pacu is not normally dangerous to people but it has quite a serious bite, there have been incidents in other countries, such as Papua New Guinea where some men have had their testicles bitten off," Henrik Carl, a fish expert at the Danish museum, told The Local.
He added: "They bite because they're hungry, and testicles sit nicely in their mouth. And its mouth is not so big, so of course it normally eats nuts, fruit, and small fish, but human testicles are just a natural target. It's not normal to get your testicles bitten off, of course, but it can happen, especially now in Sweden."
In further incidents of Pacus turning up unexpectedly, in 2012 one was discovered in Lake Lou Yaeger in Illinois, KSDK reported.
In 2011 British fisherman Jeremy Wade travelled to Papa New Guinea to catch his own "ball-cutter" after hearing one had castrated two fishermen who had subsequently bled to death.
He told The Metro: "When I reeled it in, it had this mouth which was surprisingly human-like, it is almost like they have teeth specially made for crushing."
Most Fearsome Tiny Creatures
Assassin bug(01 of10)
Open Image Modal
Triatoma infestans Look out for it in: Mexico, Central and South AmericaWhy you should fear it: Assassin bugs transmit Chagas disease, a long-term, chronic disease that can ultimately cause serious cardiac and digestive problems. Notorious victim: Charles Darwin met one on his first trip to Argentina.
Fire caterpillar(02 of10)
Open Image Modal
Lonomia obliqua Look out for it in: Brazil, Argentina, and neighboring countriesWhy you should fear it: The caterpillars release a powerful toxin that can cause internal bleeding and massive organ failure.Notorious victim: A young Canadian tourist walked barefoot through a resort and stepped on five. Although local hospitals carried an antivenin, she didn't seek treatment until she returned home--a mistake that cost her her life. (credit:Flickr/Terra Vermelha)
Biting midge(03 of10)
Open Image Modal
Culicoides spp. Look out for it in: Everywhere.Why you should fear it: Also called no-see-ums, biting midges are a serious annoyance in the Scottish Highlands--so much so that tourists check the Biting Midge Forecast before heading out for a round of golf or a trek to a distillery. In Brazil and around the Amazon, they transmit Oropouche fever.Notorious victim: According to a community study, the biting midge broke up marriages in Hervey Bay, Australia, presumably because couples were forced to spend more time indoors together.
Paederus beetle (04 of10)
Open Image Modal
Paederus sp. Look out for it in: Most of the world. Why you should fear it: The beetle lands on the skin but doesn't bite. People tend to want to slap it, which releases a nasty poison called pederin that causes horrible blisters and welts.Notorious victim: Our troops stationed in Iraq. The beetles tend to swarm around the bright lights at military bases.
Asian giant hornet(05 of10)
Open Image Modal
Vespa mandarina japonica Look out for it in: Japan, China, Taiwan, KoreaWhy you should fear it: Stings deliver a powerful neurotoxin that could be fatal.Notorious victim: Dr. Masato Ono, the world's leading expert on the giant hornet, said the sting felt like "a hot nail through my leg."
Pork tapeworm(06 of10)
Open Image Modal
Taenia solium Look out for it in: South America, Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe and North AmericaWhy you should fear it: While modern livestock management here at home has practically eliminated tapeworm-infested pork, the tapeworm eggs can be spread directly from one infected person to another. How? Let's just say that it's really, really important to wash hands after going to the bathroom-- and leave it at that.Notorious victim: A woman in Arizona went into surgery thinking she had a brain tumor, and woke up later to learn that the cause of her problems had been a tapeworm, not a tumor. (credit:Flickr/kat m research)
Deer tick (07 of10)
Open Image Modal
Ixodes scapularis Look out for it in: Eastern United States (other species that transmit Lyme are found in the West and in Europe)Why you should fear it: The nymphs transmit the miserable and difficult-to-treat Lyme diseaseNotorious victim: Polly Murray, a resident of Lyme, Connecticut, battled the disease for decades and led the fight to get it properly identified, diagnosed, and treated.
Chigoe flea(08 of10)
Open Image Modal
Tunga penetrans Look out for it in: Tropical beaches in Latin America, the Caribbean, India, and Africa.Why you should fear it: Tiny fleas burrow under toenails and lay eggs, creating awful sores and possible infectionNotorious victim: Members of Christopher Columbus' crew were made so miserable by chigoe fleas that they cut off their own toes to get rid of the bugs.
Scorpion (09 of10)
Open Image Modal
Centruroides sp. Look out for it in: Southern United States, Central and South AmericaWhy you should fear it: The venom can cause severe pain, difficulty breathing, and can be fatal to small children.Notorious victim: A little boy vacationing with his family in Mexico stepped on a scorpion in his shoe. He was flown to a hospital in San Diego, placed on life support, and did survive. (credit:Flickr/Furryscaly)
Bed bugs(10 of10)
Open Image Modal
Cimex lectulariusLook out for it in: Your bedWhy you should fear it: After hearing about all these other nasty creatures, you aren't still worried about bed bugs, are you? Bed bugs may be annoying, but they are not known to transmit disease. They may cause a dreadful allergic reaction, but you'll survive. Bed bugs have always been around; overuse of toxic pesticides drove them away for a few decades, but fortunately, we now realize that the chemicals were far more dangerous than the bugs.Notorious victim: You.