Rare, 'Dinosaur'-Like Fish Caught Off Florida Coast

A fisherman landed a rare, deep sea monster over the weekend.

Measuring at 14 feet, the creature, which looks similar to a stingray, was caught by Captain Mark Quartiano, who often goes by his charter boat company nickname "Mark the Shark," off the coast of Miami Beach, Fla.

Photo credit: Mark Quartiano

“I’ve caught one like it before, but never that size, not in the last 30 years I’ve been doing this,” Quartiano told ABC News. “It’s a very rare fish. It’s like a big gigantic whipping stingray. It’s a dinosaur.”

Quartiano said the Dactylobatus clarkii, commonly called a “hookskate” or “fingerskate," is likely very old and "had barnacles all over it." According to FishBase.org, the species is "data deficient," meaning there isn't much information out there about it. What researchers do know is that it lives in the mud at depths deeper than 350 meters. It is considered harmless to humans.

Photo credit: Mark Quartiano

Watch ABC's report about the rare catch:

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