It’s a startling and surreal sight; a fish with a mouth full of human teeth, and it’s still unclear exactly what species of fish it is.

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The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources posted a riddle and a photo of the strange-looking fish, which was caught off the coast, on its Facebook page this week.

“You’ll need a saltwater fishing license to catch me! I like to hang out near rocks, jetties, reefs, and even bridges … The coolest thing about me? I have human-like incisors and molars to help crush my food. I like shrimp and oysters just like you do!”

The internet went wild over the picture and plenty of people guessed that the fish is a sheepshead, which is also known as a convict fish, named for the black and white stripes covering its body like a prisoner’s uniform, but the agency has yet to confirm it.

Sheepshead fish are common along the east coast ranging from Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico.

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Healthcare at College Park, a nursing home in Fulton County, GA, stands shuttered with its door chained on July 26, 2025, having closed in recent months.  Researchers at Brown University developed a list of U.S. nursing homes they predicted were at risk of closing based on 2023 data, and would be at elevated risk of closing due to the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act's cuts to Medicaid. Healthcare at College Park was on their list.  It survived past its last federal inspection in August of 2024 but has now closed down. The bill's biggest provisions will roll out over years starting Jan. 1. (Ariel Hart/AJC)

Credit: Ariel Hart