The oarfish, which is also referred to as the doomsday fish, is a deep-water creature and spends most of its time floating vertically in the water column in its bid to camouflage itself.
Oarfish spotted along Mexico’s Pacific coast: A rare and bizarre sea creature, referred to as an oarfish, appeared in the shallow waters of Baja California Sur, along the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The creature, which dons vibrant orange fins, has a long ribbon-like body. It is also called “the doomsday fish,” which often gets mentioned in legends and is seen ahead of an impending disaster. The oarfish is considered to be a harbinger of bad news, particularly disasters or destruction.
The legend of oarfish
In Japanese mythology, the fish is referred to as “Ryugu no tsukai,” which means “Messenger of the Sea God.” In what comes as a shocking revelation, around 20 oarfish were seen ashore ahead of Japan’s 2011 earthquake. The 2011 earthquake is one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. In 2001, the US Navy also captured the oarfish on film.
A social media user has posted a video of the fish with the caption, “A deep-sea creature rarely seen by humans called the oarfish has washed ashore in Mexico! Legend has it that this mysterious “doomsday fish” only emerges from the ocean’s depths when disaster is near.”
However, experts don’t agree with the fact that the sightings of an oarfish are always going to bring disaster, as they attribute the appearance of the doomsday fish to the changing oceanic conditions, including El Niño and La Niña. Experts say that other conditions, like changes in water temperatures, along with illness and injuries to the oarfish, may also be reasons behind its sightings.
All you need to know about oarfish
The oarfish is a deep-water creature and spends most of its time floating vertically in the water column in its bid to camouflage itself.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, the oarfish, which can be located at depths of almost 3,200 to 3,300 feet undersea, can grow as long as 36 feet in length. Notably, they can also be found at 656 feet depth (200 meters).
Importantly, the oarfish does not have high commercial value as it is a deep-water creature and has quality meat, which is gelatinous and inedible. The oarfish is reported to be widely distributed in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean.
