A mysterious creature washed up on an Australian beach has scared holidaymakers.
A mysterious sea creature resembling a cross between a shark and a stingray was discovered on the West Coast over the weekend.
The creature was completely red in color, with the fins and body of a shark, but with a flattened head and mouth like a stingray.
Locals and social media users were stunned by what they saw, with many calling the creature alien.
However, scientists explained that the red colour was caused by bruises that formed after the fish died.
The creature, with the fins and body of a shark and the head of a stingray, turned out to be a member of a rare group of bottlenose wedge-shaped fish.
According to experts, this rare species is under threat of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat.
For reference
Fish are a large group of aquatic jawed vertebrates, previously considered a superclass.
