Creepy Three-Eyed 'Dinosaur Shrimp' Surface After Arizona Monsoon

Following a very active monsoon season, hundreds of super creepy prehistoric-looking "dinosaur shrimp" emerged, reported Live Science.

According to officials at Wupatki National Monument, the little critters have emerged from tiny eggs and started swimming around in a temporary lake that was formed on the desert landscape.

The small shrimp are called Triops and "look like little mini-horeshoe crabs with three eyes," according to Lauren Carter, lead interpretation ranger at Wupatki National Monument.

So why are the dinosaur shrimp just now emerging?

According to Central Michigan University, the shrimp eggs can lie dormant for many decades until enough rain comes to create lakes. Once the lakes are formed, the eggs will mature and hatch.

"We knew that there was water in the ball court, but we weren't expecting anything living in it. Then a visitor came up and said, 'Hey, you have tadpoles down in your ball court,'" Carter said. "I just scooped it up with my hand and looked at it and was like 'What is that?' I had no idea." She did some research and found out that they were the dinosaur shrimp.

It's still unknown exactly how many of the shrimp hatched.

Click here to learn more about the dinosaur shrimp.