A Rarely Seen Deep Sea Fish is Found in California
A rarely seen deep-sea fish, identified as an oarfish, was discovered dead on the ocean surface off the San Diego coast. Measuring 12 feet in length, this silvery fish was found by snorkelers and kayakers at La Jolla Cove. According to marine experts from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, this is only the 20th oarfish known to have washed ashore in California since 1901. Oarfish are often associated with myths of predicting natural disasters, although no scientific correlation has been established. Typically, these fish can grow over 20 feet long and reside in the mesopelagic zone of the ocean, where light is absent. After being pulled ashore on a paddleboard, the fish was taken to a pickup truck for examination. Scientists from NOAA and Scripps planned to conduct a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
A rarely seen deep sea fish resembling a serpent was found floating dead on the ocean surface off the San Diego coast and was brought ashore for study, marine experts said.
The silvery, 12-foot-long oarfish was found last weekend by a group of snorkelers and kayakers in La Jolla Cove, north of downtown San Diego, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography said in a statement.
It’s only the 20th time an oarfish is known to have washed up in California since 1901, according to institution fish expert Ben Frable.
Scripps noted that oarfish have a mythical reputation as predictors of natural disasters or earthquakes, although no correlation has been proven.
Oarfish can grow longer than 20 feet and normally live in a deep part of the ocean called the mesopelagic zone, where light cannot reach, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Swimmers brought the La Jolla Cove oarfish to shore atop a paddleboard. It was then transferred to the bed of a pickup truck.
Scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps planned a necropsy on Friday to try to determine the cause of death.
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