August 17, 2024
Last Saturday, a group of kayakers and snorkelers made an unusual find off the coast of San Diego, California—a 12-foot-long oarfish, also known as an "earthquake fish."(Doomsday Fish) Unfortunately, the oarfish was already dead when discovered, floating on the ocean's surface.
The appearance of this deep-sea creature is rare in California waters. The exact location where the oarfish was found has been confirmed by Reuters, who matched the area's buildings and shoreline features with satellite images, documents, and street view data. Local media also verified the date of the discovery through video footage.The deceased oarfish has since been brought ashore with the help of marine experts for further study. Known for its long, ribbon-like body, the oarfish typically resides in the midwaters of the deep sea and is often associated with legends that link its appearance to natural disasters.
There is some scientific support for the belief that oarfish sightings are connected to seismic activity. The earliest recorded instance dates back to 1743, when a Japanese man named Kikuoka noted that an oarfish washed ashore, followed by a major earthquake 30 days later. Since then, similar reports have frequently emerged in Japan, fueling widespread fascination with the connection between these elusive creatures and earthquakes.
Relevant Info
Oarfish- Regalecus glesne
Common Names: Giant oarfish, king of herrings
Size: Typically 3 meters long; can reach up to 11 meters.
Appearance: Long, silver body with bluish and black streaks. Notable for its reddish-pink dorsal fin and vertical swimming posture.
Behavior
Swimming: Swims upright with head up and tail down. Uses dorsal fin for movement.
Feeding: Filter feeder, consuming plankton, squid, fish, and crustaceans.
Habitat
Range: Found in temperate and tropical oceans; not in polar waters.
Depth: Lives at 20 to 200 meters but can be found from 15 to 1,000 meters.
Reproduction
Spawning: Eggs hatch near the surface in warm waters. Larvae look like miniature adults and feed on plankton.