[Fact Check] Viral Photo of Bizarre Fish With Human Lips and Teeth is Not Real, Experts Say

In a year where almost everything seems plausible, the internet seems to have become enamored by a fish with human lips and teeth.

For its remarkably human-like head, a tropical fish, infamous for its sharp teeth and ill-temper, is going viral. This month, pictures of the triggerfish were posted on Twitter with the user joking, "her lips are hotter than mine."

The issue? Oh, in addition to some troubling advances made online towards the creature - the fish doesn't exist. At least not, as in the tweet below, with a collection of pearly whites.

Bizarre-looking fish

This odd photo could be traced back on July 2 from a tweet by @raff_nasir. But on Wednesday, the weird story was addressed by The Mirror with a piece titled "Bizarre fish pictured with eerily human-like teeth caught by angler in Malaysia."

The Mirror wrote that the photo "is indeed an actual toothy fish." Subsequent studies also commented on the fish, claiming it "might be a true, live triggerfish inhabiting tropical seas around the globe."

People were also quick to guess what the fish was. Still, local media newspaper The Rakyat Post described it as a triggerfish popular in waters around Malaysia.

Talking to social media, one person wrote: "Evolution is really a fascinating process."

What's a triggerfish? Do they really have human teeth?

Triggerfish, found mainly in tropical and subtropical reefs, are often brightly colored and live in tropical and subtropical waters.

Approximately 40 species of triggerfish are known for being highly territorial. According to National Geographic, male triggerfishes are known to be territorial and aggressive, charging on intruders and even using their teeth to battle crabs and sea urchins.

The Picasso and titan triggerfish are known to protect their eggs and nests viciously against intruders, including scuba divers and snorkellers. Both triggerfish have mouths and teeth small but mighty, built to smash shells.

"The ocean triggerfish on the Great Barrier Reef attacks divers who approach its nest," says David Booth, a marine ecologist at the University of Technology, Sydney. "Their very strong teeth can remove a finger!"

The tiny Picasso triggerfish pose little danger to humans. Titan triggerfish, which can grow up to 75 cm in length, can cause severe problems for divers because of its size and powerful teeth. After altercations with triggerfish, some divers left the water wholly ruined with their fins.

The pictures of the above triggerfish have caused some funny reactions on social media, with Twitter users bewildered by how much they looked like humans.

Triggerfish are true plump-lipped fish too. For this way, the picture is altered a bit, but it's the teeth that netizens should not be worried about. Triggerfish have a very odd collection of teeth - but they're not our chompers like anything. Look for example, at the skeleton of a triggerfish. Her teeth are frightening, and they're also known to create a few problems for divers.

"Their teeth are large but not human-like, so yes the pictures do look fake!" notes Booth.