Meet the mysterious oarfish, the deep swelling sea serpent that’s known as harbingers of doom\u201d. <\/p>
The giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne<\/em>) is the longest known bony fish on the planet. A record-breaking 7.6 metre specimen was caught in Maine, USA, tipping the scales at 272kg (that\u2019s longer than a saltwater crocodile<\/a> and heavier than a Shetland pony<\/a>) but some believe they can grow even longer. <\/strong><\/p> Despite their staggering size, these deep-sea fish are rarely seen because they live in the ocean\u2019s\u00a0mesopelagic\u00a0zone. <\/p> Some legends warn that when they wash up on shore, an earthquake or other natural disaster may be on the way. This has led to them being ominously referred to as \u201charbingers of doom\u201d.\u00a0<\/p> Oarfish are long, ribbon-like fish that look like a huge type of mackerel, hence one of their nicknames: the King of Mackerel. Their common name \u2013 the oarfish \u2013 comes from the oar-like shape of their pelvic fins. People used to think these fish used their pelvic fins to row themselves through the water\u00a0but they move along by\u00a0undulating their dorsal fin \u2013 which runs down their entire length \u2013 while their body remains relatively still.\u00a0<\/p> Giant oarfish have a long, flat body that’s silver-coloured with no scales. They have a bright red crest on their head and a distinctive crimson dorsal fin, which is why they are sometimes known as rooster fish. This fin might be more orange or less bright in other species. Live oarfish also have dark, blotchy markings across their bodies but these fade quickly after death.<\/p> Their pelvic fin is shaped like an oar – hence the fish’s name.<\/p>What are oarfish?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
What do oarfish look like?<\/h2>