What the Heck Is This?

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Anyone who knows what the thing that this is a close-up of will have no trouble guessing what it is.

A lot of people will guess something similar but miss the mark just slightly, I bet.

Need a hint: I think not, today. See the full-size image below and an explanation…

It's the mouth of a Koi (Cyprinus carpio) that has come to the surface of a lily pond "in hopes of finding some food," say the photographers, Linda and Dr. Dick Buscher.  "These native carp from Central Europe and Asia are now found around the world adding color and charm to man-made ponds.  They were first bred for their color mutations in China over a thousand years ago."

In a nutshell, koi is domesticated, colorful carp.

Did you guess goldfish? That's what I would've thought it was, not knowing my Koi.

Koi (Cyprinus carpio) are carp native to Central Europe and Asia that have been domesticated and shipped to ponds all over the world. (Image credit: Linda and Dr. Dick Buscher)

Got a strange or interesting photo related to science, nature or technology? What the Heck, send it to me, and maybe I'll use it. Or follow me on Twitter, or Facebook.

Robert Roy Britt
Robert Roy Britt

Robert is an independent health and science journalist and writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a former editor-in-chief of Live Science with over 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor. He has worked on websites such as Space.com and Tom's Guide, and is a contributor on Medium, covering how we age and how to optimize the mind and body through time. He has a journalism degree from Humboldt State University in California.