Is This an Alien Species Discovered on a Texas Beach?

Imagine walking on the beach in Galveston, Texas when something odd catches your eye in the sand. At first sight, you think of the movie "Alien." after you see what it looks like.

Well, that's exactly what happened when a person saw something wiggling in the sand that looked like a half-snake, half-worm with a strange-looking head. The photographer snapped a picture of the unusual creature and shared it on social media where it went viral last Thursday. Eventually, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department got involved after seeing the photos and came to the conclusion that it was not an alien it was a shrimp eel. These eels make the gulf region their home mainly in the bay areas where they bury themselves in the sand and muddy waters. Very seldom do they surface during the day as they are nocturnal creatures that usually only come out at night to hunt for their food.

According to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are usually dark grey or black to yellow in color and have three staggered rows of teeth. The shrimp eel has been know to grow up to 20 inches long but can grow as much as 36 inches. Here's where the creep factor comes in if eaten by a fish they can burrow their way out through the stomach. Now, that sounds like "Alien" to me for sure. The good news, wildlife authorities say the eel poses no threat to human beings. So if you spot one just leave it alone, according to KPRC 2 Houston.