The mysterious mummified mermaid from Japan has left scientists baffled about its true nature. In a bid to unravel its mysteries, they had it scanned, and the partial results were already out.

Mysterious Fiji Mermaid Identified?

Scientists are investigating a strange mermaid from Fiji, Japan, that appears to be a mix of a fish, a monkey, and a reptile to understand its secrets. The mummy was given to the Clark County Historical Society in Springfield, Ohio, in 1906 by an American sailor who had returned from Japan with it.

It has long given museum visitors the shivers with its grimacing visage, odd teeth, large claws, fish-like lower half, and downy coating of grey hair. But after the so-called Fiji mermaid had been X-rayed and CT scanned for the first time to understand its true nature, its mysteries might finally be exposed.

"It seems to be a hodgepodge of at least three different species externally," said radiologist Joseph Cress of Northern Kentucky University. "It appears to be a jumble of at least three different species."

The hands appear to be those of an amphibian, nearly like an alligator, crocodile, or lizard of some kind, but the head and body are those of a monkey. Then there is the fishtail, also of an unknown species. Cress added that they want to know what components were combined because it is reportedly definitely fashioned, practically Frankensteined together.

The CT scanning would enable them to isolate "slices" of the artifact and determine whether any of it had once been a live animal. Cress claimed that by doing so, they get more data. They would check how deep those nostrils go and if they extend into what they believe would be a real nasal cavity, considering that they can view it from the front, back, and even the side.

Cress and his colleagues would examine not only the head and facial region but also the thoracic region, the tail end, and all other portions of the Fijian mermaid. The information will be submitted to specialists at the Newport Aquarium and the Cincinnati Zoo to determine what creatures, if any, were merged to create the mysterious mermaid.

 

ALSO READ: 300-Year-Old Okayama 'Mermaid Mummy' Origin Investigated: Could It Be a Gruesome Fish and Monkey Mix?

Man-Made Mummified Mermaid In Japan

The Fiji mermaid is not the first bizarre creature to have made headlines from the Land of the Rising Sun. Earlier this year, a 300-year-old mummified mermaid that many believed had the power to grant immortality was finally identified as man-made.

The enigmatic object has been on exhibit for 40 years at the Enjuin Temple in the city of Asakuchi. The locals believe the mummified creature to be a mermaid since it has hair on its head, pointed teeth in its mouth, a body, and a tail that resembles a fish.

Scientists examined the mummified mermaid using CT scans and other cutting-edge tests. They run several tests on the intriguing mermaid to see if it's organic.

They concluded that the mummified fish was fake. Its body is constructed of paper, cloth, and cotton and lacks a skeleton. According to the scientists, the lowest portion of the body was really from a fish's tail. However, they thought that it had only been added later. Its skull was from a mammal, and its jaw and teeth were obtained from fish.

RELATED ARTICLE: Are Mermaids Real? Experts Investigate Japan's Mummified Creature with Human Face and Fish Tail

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