Short summary: The viral image shared in October 2025 shows the deep‑sea squid Promachoteuthis sulcus, not a creature with human teeth. Experts say the apparent teeth are circular, folded lips that surround hidden beaks. The photo first appeared in a 2007 scientific paper; the pictured specimen was trawled in March 1971 and remained the only documented example as of 2007.
Viral “Little Sea Monster” Photo Is a Deep‑Sea Squid — The ‘Teeth’ Are Folded Lips, Not Human Teeth
Short summary: The viral image shared in October 2025 shows the deep‑sea squid Promachoteuthis sulcus, not a creature with human teeth. Experts say the apparent teeth are circular, folded lips that surround hidden beaks. The photo first appeared in a 2007 scientific paper; the pictured specimen was trawled in March 1971 and remained the only documented example as of 2007.
16:42, 04.11.2025Science
Fact check: What this photo actually shows
Claim: An image shared in October 2025 was described as a real 'little sea monster' with 'teeth like a human.'
Verdict
The photo is real and shows a deep‑sea squid, Promachoteuthis sulcus. What look like human teeth are not teeth at all but circular, folded lips that surround the squid's beak, which is not visible in the photograph.
What the image shows
The pinkish animal in the image has tentacles arranged around a circular central opening. At first glance the opening appears to display top and bottom teeth, but experts explain those structures are the squid's folded lips. The beak, a normal cephalopod feature, lies behind these lips and is not visible in the photo.
'The squid seems to have a set of dentures. The 'dentures' are the circular, folded lips, of which only the upper and lower portions can be seen. The lips surround the beaks which are not visible in this photograph.' — Richard Young and Michael Vecchione, Tree of Life Web Project (2007)
Origin and circulation of the photo
A black‑and‑white version of the image first appeared on page six of a peer‑reviewed taxonomic paper published online in 2007 that described three new decapodiform cephalopod species, including Promachoteuthis sulcus. Researchers Richard Young and Michael Vecchione later uploaded a full‑color version and added the explanatory caption to the species page on the Tree of Life Web Project in 2007.
The specimen pictured was collected in March 1971 by trawling from just over a mile (roughly 1.6 km) below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. At the time of the 2007 description it was the only known specimen of the species; public records and follow‑up searches did not locate confirmed additional specimens as of November 2025.
The photo has recirculated on social media for years with sensational captions: it appeared on Facebook in 2013, 2023 and again in October 2025, and has been shared on Reddit, X, Threads and TikTok.
Why it looks like a monster
Deep‑sea animals are often photographed in unusual lighting and angles that change perception of familiar features. In cephalopods, a ring of muscular, folded tissue around the mouth can resemble teeth in low‑resolution or tightly cropped images. Specialists emphasize that the apparent 'teeth' here are cosmetic folds of lip tissue, not human‑type dentition.
Sources
- Young, R., Vecchione, M., et al., 'A New Genus and Three New Species of Decapodiform Cephalopods', Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2007.
- Young, R. and Vecchione, M., 'Promachoteuthis sulcus', Tree of Life Web Project, updated 15 Nov 2007 (image caption quoted).
- Educational references on cephalopod beaks and anatomy used for context (university and museum resources, accessed Nov 2025).
Takeaway
The image is an authentic photograph of a deep‑sea squid and not a fabricated creature with human teeth. The startling appearance is explained by normal cephalopod anatomy and the way light, angle and image quality emphasize folded lip tissue.