Tiny, underwater sea creatures have been biting at the feet of Southern Californians who visit Mission Bay in hopes of enjoying their time at the beach.
These small creatures have been identified as Excirolana chiltoni, otherwise known as “mini sharks.”
This crustacean species is a scavenger and only grows to about 0.3 inches in length.
However, despite their small size, their bite can cause pain.
One beach goer told CBS 8 News about her experience with the “mini sharks” saying, “It was painful! I was like uh! I jumped out of the water and this was so shocking. I had blood all over my foot and in between my toes.”
She continued on:
“I pulled my foot out. I had blood all over my foot. It was like small piranhas have bit me.”
These creatures can form large swarms of up to a thousand or more and will usually live in the swallower waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Despite their bites being painful, they tend to be shallow and harmless, without the threat of disease.
There have been past cases of these creatures biting beach goers going far back as 1993, when a large number of the “mini sharks” were reported at Newport Beach.
And even though they may be a pest to beach goers, the “mini sharks” are actually a key player in the ecosystem, as they eat the meat of dead fish, which helps to prevent the water from smelling.
On the other hand, these creatures can pose a problem for forensic investigations as they could make identifying a drowning victim a real challenge.
