Whether it's a giant squid, a whale, or some hitherto unidentified sea monster - the creature is now likely to be swimming around with an eye patch.

A grapefruit sized eyeball, discovered on a beach in the US, is puzzling wildlife officials who have not been able to identify the species of creature that seems to have lost it.

State wildlife officials in Florida are baffled by the giant sized blue orb, which was discovered by a man on Wednesday at Pompano Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale.

'It was very, very fresh,' Gino Covacci, who discovered the eyeball, told the Sun Sentinel on Thursday. 'It was still bleeding when I put it in the plastic bag'

Mr Covacci, who made the alarming discovery during his morning walk, said he took the eyeball home and put it in the fridge. He then notified the local police.

It was subsequently put on ice in order for experts at Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg to establish its origin.

Carli Segelson, an agency spokeswoman, said the eyeball is likely to have come from a marine animal, since it was found on a beach.

A number of possible candidates inhabit the waters off the coast of South Florida. They include tuna, sharks, whales, swordfish and of course giant squid.