A ‘strange giant fish’ of several meters long appears
A giant oarfish was spotted this week on the west coast of Tasmania. It’s often associated with being a harbinger of major disasters.
Its common name is giant oarfish, its scientific name is Regalecus glesne, and it’s also nicknamed the “king of herrings.” But in some cultures — especially in Asia — it’s believed to be the fish that predicts disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Since it typically lives in the open ocean at depths of 150 to 500 meters, it’s rare for one to end up washed ashore.
That’s exactly what happened recently on the west coast of Tasmania (Australia). One of the longest fish in the ocean, which can grow over eight meters long, was discovered by Sybil Robertson during a walk on Ocean Beach. “When I go out, I’m the only person on the beach. It’s really wild. There’s nothing between here and Argentina,” she told The Guardian.
That day, she took a different route on her walk and noticed a group of sea eagles descending onto the sand to inspect something. “I thought, ‘That’s odd, I don’t usually see them land on the beach.’” The reason for their behavior turned out to be this unfamiliar fish. “I knew it was something unusual and strange.”
Surprised by the rare find, she shared it on the Tasmanian Citizen Scientists’ social media. That’s when the mystery fish got a name: it was an oarfish. “It’s exceptionally unusual to see something like this, it’s very rare for one to appear onshore,” said Neville Barrett, fish biologist and associate professor at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania.
According to Barrett, oarfish can weigh over 400 kilograms. Despite their size, he describes them as low-muscle creatures that tend to float vertically in the water, feeding mainly on plankton. “They don’t feed actively. They don’t chase their prey. They just nibble at whatever they come across. So they don’t need to be strong or good swimmers,” he explained.
Barrett added that when they are ill, it’s common for them to swim closer to the surface — “for reasons we don’t fully understand.” This may be why the fish ended up on the Australian beach.
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