These fish are generally harmless to humans
An 11-year-old boy in the US was left surprised after he caught a rare fish with human-like teeth while fishing in an Oklahoma pond over the weekend, Live Science reported. Pictures of Charlie Clinton's unusual find were shared on the social media accounts of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
As per the department, the fish turned out to belong to the Pacu family, a group of species native to South America closely related to piranhas. They are often referred to as "vegetarian piranhas" due to their similar appearance and are commonly sold as pets to home aquarium owners.
"A young angler, Charlie Clinton, was fishing in a neighbourhood pond over the weekend when he got an unusual bite," wrote the department on Instagram, along with two pictures.
See the pictures here:
''These fish are generally harmless to humans, but the practice of dumping unwanted pets in waterways can be incredibly harmful to native wildlife. Pacu can reach sizes up to 3.5 feet and 88 pounds! They are an exotic, invasive species that can cause damage to our local ecosystems,'' the department further informed.
Officials encourage anglers that if they catch Pacu in the future, the fish should be removed from the water source.
According to the American Museum of Natural History (AMHN), their flattened, human-like teeth are likely the result of their varied omnivorous diet, which includes small fish, hard-shelled crustaceans, and the fruits and nuts of freshwater plants.
The post generated a lot of interest and amassed a variety of comments from social media users. One user wrote, ''Fish with human-looking teeth are always so disturbing.'' Another joked, ''The fish looks more surprised than the kid.''