Thousands of ten-inch ‘penis fish’ wash up on a beach: Fishermen flock to shore to grab them all

Thousands of ten-inch ‘penis’ fish have washed up on a beach in Argentina in a bizarre phenomenon.

The grim-looking sea worms, formally known as urechis unicinctus, used to line the beaches of Multillar, north of Rio Grande.

The creatures poured onto the beach after a severe storm on Monday afternoon. This is not a rare phenomenon in Argentina, with piles of marine worms previously lined the coasts in the south of the country after heavy weather.

Despite their rather crude looking appearance, the sea worms are highly sought after in Asia for their medicinal properties.

Local fishermen have since reportedly flocked to the beach to collect the ‘penis fish’ as ​​they are considered excellent bait, especially when fishing for bass.

Despite their rather crude looking appearance, the sea worms are highly sought after in Asia for their medicinal properties

Local residents photographed the phallic creatures about four inches each along the shoreline earlier this week.

Thousands of marine worms previously washed up on a California beach in 2019, and smaller clusters of the marine worms have historically been seen along the coasts of Argentina.

The worms like to bury themselves in the sand, but storms and ocean swells can easily knock them off course and onto land.

Also known as “the fat innkeeper worm,” the creatures create a U-shaped burrow in the sea floor for other animals to move into – hence the nickname.

Fossil evidence has shown that the creatures have been around for 300 million years. A single urechis unicinctus can live up to 25 years.

While some humans fish for the creatures, larger fish, sharks, seagulls, and otters also compete to hunt the worms.

The species has gained particular prominence in Asia where they are eaten raw for their medicinal benefits due to their high concentration of amino acids.

They are generally sold live in wet markets where customers can specifically choose the ones they want. Their flavor is described as mild and they offer a similar texture to clams.

The nasty-looking sea worm, formally known as the urechis unicinctus, was found along the beaches of Multillar, some 15 kilometers (about three miles) north of the city of Rio Grande

A ‘penis fish’ is pictured being held in 2019 after washing up on a beach in California

While it is common practice in most Asian countries to eat the sea worms raw, some regions in China prefer to dehydrate the creatures so that they can be stored for longer. The ‘penis fish’ are then rehydrated when ready to eat before being fried.

They are generally fished in the shallow waters of the China Sea, but they are also found in underwater sand tunnels around the world.

Japan also considers the fish a delicacy and combines it with soy sauce and vinegar for sashimi.