Creatures, Myths & Legends

New scans reveal what lies inside gruesome 'Fiji Mermaid'

By T.K. Randall
October 26, 2023 ·  15 comments

Fiji Mermaids have proven popular museum attractions for years. Image Credit: CC BY 4.0 Wellcome Images While it might be referred to as a 'mermaid', this grotesque-looking beast is about as far from the beautiful sirens of mythology as it is possible to get - a chimerical aberration that has cropped up time and again ever since the original was first displayed at Barnum's American Museum in 1842.

This particular specimen, which was brought back from Japan by an American sailor, was later donated to the Clark County Historical Society in Springfield, Ohio in 1906.

Fast-forward over 115 years and now CT scans and X-rays have finally revealed exactly what manner of creature (or creatures) this grotesque abomination is actually comprised of.It turns out that it is in fact part fish, part monkey and part reptile.

"There's the head and torso of a monkey, the hands seem to be that of an amphibian almost like an alligator, crocodile or lizard of some sort," said radiologist Joseph Cress of Northern Kentucky University.

"And then there's that tail of a fish - again, species unknown. It is obviously fashioned, almost Frankensteined together - so I want to know what parts were pulled together."


Source: Mail Online | Comments (15)

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