Images of the strange sightings circulated online, depicting enormous, jelly-like balls with a hard exterior dangling from submerged tree limbs.
Wildlife experts are warning residents about ‘alien egg pods’ discovered in an Oklahoma lake, claiming the creatures will appear in big numbers this summer.
While photographs of the unusual animals have aroused confusion and a little panic online, some individuals believe they must come from outer space. However, officials convinced the public that the animals were simply bryozoans, which had existed for hundreds of millions of years, long before the first dinosaurs walked the Earth.
The creatures clone themselves into vast groups to filter small particles from the water for nourishment, eventually cleaning up the lake.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) posted photographs on its Facebook page.
‘What is that?? ‘If you’re out boating somewhere like McGee Creek Reservoir, you could discover these bizarre jelly-like balls hanging from submerged tree limbs,’ according to the article.
‘These are bryozoans, and they are set to appear in big numbers this summer. Do not be afraid; these microbes are native and pose no threat to you or wildlife.
“In fact, they are an indicator of good environmental quality and clean water!”
The image received hundreds of responses, with one person writing: ‘My oldest kid thought they were body snatchers just waiting to hatch and grab our bodies.’
Another comment reads: “They look like alien egg pods from outer space.”
Meanwhile Mary Allen posted: ‘I never dreamed they were helpful to clean the water but thought them to be invasive.’
Bryozoans are clumps of creatures known as zooids, they are a fraction of a millimeter long and form the slimy mass.
They can self-clone because they have both male and female reproductive organs.
This means they can also reproduce asexually if one breaks off from a colony and allows them to reproduce in even greater numbers.
They mainly feast on bacteria and phytoplankton which is found in the water.
Others were alarmed by the claims, believing there was a problem with the water.
Zooids can only survive in waters warmer than 60°F, therefore more are expected to come in the coming months when temperatures rise throughout the summer season.
The larger masses are covered in a substance called chitin, which is found on the outside of crabs, and harden when dried to preserve the creature until it can be rehydrated.
Most colonies are linked to a structure, such as a rock or a submerged branch, as shown in the photographs given by Oklahoma wildlife officials.