Urechis unicinctus, popularly known as the “penis fish” because of its physical appearance, very similar to the male sexual organ, can reach up to 25 centimeters in length.
It lives buried under the sand, building “U”-shaped burrows so it can feed by filtering particles present in the water, but a strong storm on the Atlantic coast of Chubut stirred up the sediment and left hundreds of these organisms exposed on the beaches of Comodoro Rivadavia and Puerto Madryn.
Although in Argentina the finding was striking and generated a wave of memes because of how strange it was, Urechis unicinctus is much better known in Asian countries.
It lives mainly in the Pacific Ocean and is part of traditional Chinese and Korean cuisine. In street markets it is even sold alive and consumed for its clam-like texture and mild flavor.