In a strange incident in Melbourne, a teenage boy was stumped when he got out of a beach in Melbourne and found his feet were covered in blood.
Sam Kanizay was playing a football game on Saturday after which his feet were sore. The boy decided to go for a swim and 30 minutes later the 16 year old boy walked out of the water to find his feet bleeding from the ankles down.
His feet were filled with hundreds of little pin holes that were profusely bleeding. Once the boy returned home his parents rushed him to the hospital.
The hospital staff were dumbstruck and were unable to give an answer as to what could have done that. Sam’s father Jarrod took it upon himself to find the answer and went to the beach the following night. He laid a trap, a pool net filled with meat to attract whatever could have hurt his son.
He found a number of tiny bug like creatures that were feasting on the chunks of meat, Jarrod videotaped them as well. Jarrod said, “What is really clear is these little things really love meat.”
Executive Director at Dolphin Research Institute Jeff Weir claims the boy could have been attacked by crustaceans called amphipods. Amphipods are known for eating decomposing plant and animal scraps.
On the other hand, Thoma Cribb who is a parasite expert at the University of Queensland said that it was unlikely for amphipods to cause such extensive bleeding. He said, “It’s not a parasite I’ve ever come across.”
Scientists from Museums Victoria did their research and finally unraveled the mystery parasite that attacked the boy’s feet.
The creature has been identified as lysianassid amphipods. These are a type of scavenging crustacean also known as sea fleas.
Dr. Genefor Walker Smith said the incident was unlucky as generally, these creatures don’t cause so much damage.
He was quoted saying, “It’s possible he disturbed a feeding group but they are generally not out there waiting to attack like piranhas.”
