A rare oarfish was found dead over the weekend by kayakers and snorkelers in La Jolla Cove, San Diego, California.
Oarfish sightings are extremely uncommon – this was only the 20th to be found in California waters since 1901, making it an “incredibly rare” find.
In Japanese folklore, oarfish are believed to be omens of earthquakes and disasters, acting as messengers from the sea god. Some sightings were reported before 2011’s Tohoku earthquake.
Scientists do not believe there is a real connection, and think weak oarfish may simply rise to the surface from deep waters.
The deep-sea oarfish, which can grow over 50 feet, rarely comes to the surface. This one was about 12 feet.
It is being examined by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography to determine cause of death as part of their marine vertebrate collection.
Sightings of these largely mysterious fish provide opportunities to study the species since they normally dwell 700-3,280 feet below surface.
Source: USA TODAY
