When we think of sea creatures, we don't normally use the word cute or cuddly to describe them—but that's no longer the case. The most adorable sea creature has been plastered across the internet since its discovery off the coast of Southern California earlier this week. The purple, bug-eyed creature was discovered by the E/V Nautilus, a research vessel that has been studying off the coast around Big Sur. We're being told the creature is actually a Stubby Squid (yes, that's a real thing), but after looking at other photos of Stubby Squids online, we're not so sure we believe what we're being told; just check out the comparisons below and judge for yourself.
Not buying it either? Well, we've come up with a few other possibilities for where this little guy came from. We're really betting on number 5.
1. It's a character from Finding Nemo that's come to life.
2. A child dropped his beloved stuffed squid in the ocean and hasn't slept a wink since.
3. It's an alien.
4. It is a Stubby Squid, after learning that Donald Trump is a presidential candidate.
5. It's really the Purple People Eater.
Apparently this violet-hued wonder isn't the only interesting-looking creature the scientists aboard the research vessel have come across. A tweet from the ship's account yesterday shows a odd-looking fish appearing to smile. Check out those chompers!
|DIVE ALERT| Smile, we're diving on Partington Canyon off the coast of Big Sur, CA! Watch: https://t.co/Ajj54YYX2Q pic.twitter.com/Xm7h3mJZwu
— E/V Nautilus (@EVNautilus) August 15, 2016
Have a better theory of what this purple guy is or where he came from? Let us know in the comments below!