A monstrous ‘prehistoric’ fish that looks like a crocodile has sparked a marine mystery after it was discovered washed up in a Singapore reservoir.
The remains of the creature were discovered on the shores of Lake MacRitchie, where locals struggled to identify it.
It was discovered by Karen Lythgoe, 31, a Scottish national currently living in Asia, who said the bizarre creature looked prehistoric.
It turned out to be an alligator gar – a fish native to the American south, 10,000 miles away, leaving the right to wonder how it got there.
This species produces toxic eggs and is an apex predator, and releasing invasive species into the wild without permission could have disastrous impacts on the ecosystem.
The remains of a monstrous fish that looks like a prehistoric relative of the crocodile were discovered by a British man in Singapore on the shores of Lake MacRitchie
“There were a few people who looked at it from the boardwalk, but that was too far away to see what it was,” Ms. Lythgoe said.
‘We thought it was a crocodile from that location, but it didn’t look quite right, so we went out of the way to have a closer look.
‘That’s not a crocodile! It looked like something you might see in a zoo – it looked prehistoric with its large jaws and teeth.
‘I was shocked and curious how it appeared in the reservoir.’
Imran Kassim, 27, thought it was another predatory reptile. He said: ‘Honestly, it’s flat and looks like a crocodile, especially because part of its body is gone – probably eaten by a happy lizard.
‘It was quite strange, but it looked like a lizard with its jaws wide open, so I would never have guessed it was a fish.’
Karen Lythgoe, 31, a Scottish national currently living in Asia, said the strange creature looked like it was prehistoric. In fact, it is an alligator gar, a fish native to the southern United States
The crocodile gar has been called a ‘living fossil’ because so many of its biological features can be traced back to its earliest ancestors
Crocodile gar
Common English names for Atractosteus spatula are alligator gar, gator, great gar, garpike, garfish, and Mississippi alligator.
Alligator gar have been fished commercially in the southern United States along with other gar species, and have also been caught and bow-fished.
Crocodile gar meat has been sold commercially.
It has strong jaws and its eggs are poisonous and can cause illness if humans eat them.
In a joint statement, the city’s water department and the National Parks Board said the creature was an alligator.
This species is known as a ‘living fossil’ because many of its biological characteristics can be traced back to its earliest ancestors.
As for how the creature came to Singapore, authorities can only assume that it was kept as a pet and released when it grew too large.
According to local media, juvenile crocodiles can be purchased from local fish traders when they are only 8 inches (20 centimeters) long.
Authorities added: ‘We would like to remind people that releasing these animals will disrupt our fragile aquatic ecosystems and may also pose a risk to users of our waters. we.’
Ms Lythgoe said: ‘I’m shocked that someone could be so irresponsible as to release it into the wild. It is a top predator so it really affects the ecosystem. ‘
Releasing animals into reservoirs and waterways can result in fines of up to S$3,000 (£1,600) under Singapore law. The Singapore Water Authority has now removed the fish carcass.