An oarfish washed up on a beach in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The elusive creature, often referred to as the "fish of the end of the world," was found by beachgoers who captured images and videos that quickly spread across social media, sparking debates and speculations.
The oarfish is a rarely seen deep-sea fish known for its elongated, ribbon-like body, shimmering silver scales, and striking features, including a long red dorsal fin and distinctive oar-shaped pelvic fins, giving it an appearance similar to that of an eel. It can grow up to 11 meters in length and weigh more than 200 kilograms, making it one of the longest fish in the ocean and the longest bony fish in the world.
In Japanese folklore, the oarfish is known as Ryūgū no tsukai, meaning Messenger of the Sea God, and is often associated with signs of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Since the 17th century, the presence of oarfish on coasts has been conceived as a portent of earthquakes and tsunamis, with sightings in shallow waters considered an omen of impending disaster.
Surprised beachgoers found a rarely seen Oarfish swimming in the shallow waters of a Baja California Sur beach in Mexico These animals are often referred to as "doomsday fish" because in some areas of the world, they are seen as a warning of a incoming disasters, such as… pic.twitter.com/7j3WpDl3B6
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One of the most remembered cases occurred before the 9.0 magnitude Tōhoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011, when at least twelve oarfish were found dead or dying on Japanese beaches.
Despite the deep-rooted popular belief, the scientific community questioned the connection between oarfish sightings and earthquakes. Hiroyuki Motomura, a professor of ichthyology at Kagoshima University, dismissed the connection, saying, "The link to reports of seismic activity goes back many, many years, but there is no scientific evidence of a connection, so I don't think people need to worry," according to The Economic Times.
Some researchers, however, speculate that deep-sea fish like oarfish could be sensitive to underwater seismic activity. "It's theoretically possible because when an earthquake occurs there can be a build-up of pressure in the rocks which can lead to electrostatic charges that cause electrically-charged ions to be released into the water," said Rachel Grant, a lecturer in animal biology at Anglia Ruskin University, according to The Independent. "This can lead to the formation of hydrogen peroxide, which is a toxic compound. The charged ions can also oxidize organic matter which could either kill the fish or force them to leave the deep ocean and rise to the surface," she added.
The oarfish typically inhabits depths of around 200 meters, although specimens were found at much greater depths, reaching up to 1000 meters, making encounters with them very rare and difficult to study. Factors such as changes in ocean currents, temperature fluctuations, and underwater disturbances can influence the oarfish's appearance in shallower waters.
Images of the washed-up oarfish, with their silvery bodies and orange fins, were viewed over nine million times on social media, reigniting fears about their connection to natural disasters.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.