Thousands of penis fish wash up on shore

Thousands of strange sea worms, nicknamed “penis fish,” have washed up on a beach in Multillar, Argentina, after a heavy storm earlier this week.

The pale pink, wriggly creatures lined the shore, surprising locals and baffling internet users after photos went viral.

These sea worms are actually a type of spoon worm called urechis unicinctus.

They usually live buried under the ocean floor but are often uprooted during strong storms and heavy rain.

While their appearance may seem unusual, this phenomenon is not rare in Argentina, where similar events happen after bad weather.

Local fishermen quickly gathered the worms to use as bait, especially for catching sea bass.

The worms, also known as “fat innkeeper worms,” are known for creating U-shaped burrows on the seabed. These burrows are later used as homes by other animals, which is how the worms got their nickname.

Scientists say these creatures have been around for about 300 million years, much longer than humans, who have existed for about 200,000 years.

They can live up to 25 years and are eaten by larger fish, sharks, seagulls, and otters.