Disgust, fear, confusion – creepy pictures of fish with human-like teeth continue to spread on social media – and trigger intense emotions in many people. The photos or videos are clicked, commented on and liked thousands of times. But what’s up with the bizarre shots? Are the scary pictures and clips really real?
The fact is: There are fish with human-like teeth. One particular species stands out in this context: videos of convict sea bream in particular are spreading time and again on social networks. The reason: the teeth of the animals are particularly similar to human teeth.
The fish use their rows of blunt teeth to crack open shellfish. The habitat of the animals stretches from Canada’s Atlantic coast to the Gulf of Mexico. They prefer to live in estuaries and near the coast.
Other sea creatures, such as triggerfish, also come with teeth. Anyone who is particularly terrified of the pictures and videos from the Internet should also keep an eye open in real life when bathing.
How do we check videos for manipulation in the editorial office? It is important to look at the details. The individual frames of a video often reveal whether a video has been edited. We take a close look at each image and enlarge individual sections. Indications of a fake are, for example: lack of motion blur, unnatural shadows or editing errors. The general rule at stern is: Seriousness before speed. We always double-check facts and material thoroughly before publishing them. For this we work with the cross-editorial “Team Verification” together with RTL, NTV, RTL2, Radio NRW.