Additional Coverage:
- ‘Doomsday fish’ spotted again: Another rare specimen washes ashore on a California beach (foxweather.com)
A rare “doomsday fish” has been found on a beach in Encinitas, California. The oarfish, which can grow up to 36 feet long, is typically found in deep ocean waters. This is only the 21st sighting of an oarfish in California since the 1900s.
The fish was discovered by a researcher from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It was 9 to 10 feet long, smaller than another oarfish that washed ashore in La Jolla earlier this year. Marine experts have contacted NOAA Fisheries to collect the specimen for further study.
Oarfish are filter feeders that live in deep ocean waters. They are commonly known as “doomsday fish” because they are often sighted during times of disaster, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. However, scientists have not established a link between their appearances and these events.