The giant oarfish, which has been known to reach up to a whopping 110 feet (36 meters) long, is considered a deep-sea fish. However, occasionally the slender beast is found washed ashore, dead, on. There are a few things to know about oarfish in general before we dive in to the nitty-gritty of our giant friend. One is that there are actually two different genuses of oarfish: Regalecus and Agrostichthys.Agrostichthys grows much smaller than Regalecus, and even the smaller Russelli species of Regalecus are reported to grow about 16 feet (5 meters) source: Yamamoto.
The Giant Oarfish
Giant Oarfish is the largest species of the bony fish in the world. Its scientific name is Regaleus glesne in which Reagaleus means belonging to king it may have inspired from the fish’s crown like appendages.
The Giant Oarfish dwells throughout oceans all over the world except the polar oceans. Oarfish is widely distributed but researchers have seen it few times. Many Oarfishes get beached worldwide, however it is rarely seen alive.
The below image is of the largest Oarfish specimen ever found. The fish is 23 feet long (7 meters) and weighed 270 kg (600 lb). The instructor of the members of BUD/S (members of school of US Navy) found this fish. The members pose with the fish in the picture below which was found in the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado located across the base from San Diego.
Sunfish
Oarfish can grow up to 11 meters in length. The Oarfish lives to depth of up to 1000 meters. It has a long body tapering from head to its tail. The Gaint Oarfish’s major vital organs are concentrated near the fish’s head. Because of which it can survive even if loses some parts of its tail.
Its body doesn’t have scale and is very long which further helps it to survive in deeper parts of the ocean. Oarfish reaches the ocean surface when it is sick or about to die. The Giant Oarfish feeds on tiny crustaceans.
Researchers have recorded only few footage of the Giant Oarfish. Because of the depth in which it lives however in 2010 scientists captured video of the fish in its natural environment near Gulf of Mexico.
Checkout the footage of Giant Oarfish below!
The fish is also accidentally caught in commercial fishing. They are not useful for commercial fishing. Human interaction rarely occurs with this fish as it does not commonly come to sea surface.
As the fish comes to the surface when it is dying or sick many people who don’t know anything about this fish properly may misunderstood it for a sea serpent.
Fishao Giant Oarfish 2016
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