The fish is measured around 6-and-a-half feet long
Divers in Taiwan spotted a giant oarfish with mysterious holes in its body. The rare sea creature- nicknamed the "doomsday fish" was spotted floating eerily upright near Ruifang District in Taipei, CNN reported.
It is reported that mysterious holes in its body are believed to be inflicted while escaping from a shark attack.
The video which is going viral on the internet shows stunned divers circling around the shimmery fish. In fact, one of the divers also tried to touch the fish.
The caption of the video reads, "A wild experience with a rare deep-sea monster. Oarfish are large, greatly elongated, pelagic lampriform fish belonging to the small family Regalecidae. Found in areas spanning from temperate ocean zones to tropical ones, yet rarely seen, the oarfish family contains three species in two genera. One of these, the giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne), is the longest bony fish alive, growing up to 11 m (36 ft) in length."
See the video here:
According to New York Post, the fish is measured around 6-and-a-half feet long, which is big but that doesn't compare to their maximum size of 36 feet long, the longest of any bony fish.
The Guinness Book of World Records recognises the oarfish as the longest bony fish currently known to exist.
The appearance of an oarfish has long been associated with the notion of earthquakes but it has not been scientifically proven. These creatures are often found at depths ranging from 656 to 3,200 feet below the ocean's surface.
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FAQs
A group of divers documented the moment they came across as so-called 'Doomsday Fish' while diving off the coast of Taiwan, and the aquatic animal is far from what you'd find in your local pet shop. The fish isn't officially called that though - it's actually an oarfish.
What is the doomsday fish theory? ›
Now, people are looking back at the sighting over the summer and seeing it as an omen. There's absolutely no evidence that there's a link between the fish and natural disasters, and the Ecuadoran Geophysical Institute said the myth has no validity in any scientific study carried out as of August 2022.
How big are doomsday fish? ›
This strikingly large, odd-looking fish is known for its distinctively long, ribbon-shaped body that enables the species to float inconspicuously throughout the water column. Oarfish can grow to more than 30 feet, which makes them quite the sight to behold.
Why do oarfish appear before earthquakes? ›
Mark Benfield, an oceanographer and ecologist at Louisiana State University, also believes any link between seismic activity and oarfish spotted along coasts is coincidental. He believes oarfish, like many deep-sea creatures, migrate vertically toward the surface at night to follow one of their favorite meals: krill.
Why do oarfish swim vertically? ›
The oarfish swims by undulating its long dorsal fin while its body remains straight which is knows as an amiiform mode of swimming. It has also been observed swimming in a vertical position in what is believed to be a method that the oarfish searches for prey items.
What is the strange fish in Russia? ›
The latest additions shown here include an alien-headed fish, and another with what looks like bizarre tentacles protruding from its mouth. Another ancient-looking fish appears to have teeth worn down by overuse that are constantly being replaced by fresh teeth coming from the back of its mouth.
What is the rarest fish in the world? ›
It's a truly rare fish.
Of all the curiously uncommon gems Nevada has to offer, the Devils Hole pupfish is the rarest. In fact, it's the rarest fish in the entire world—and it can only be found here in the Silver State.
What is the biggest fish in the world? ›
The biggest fish in the ocean is the Rhincodon typus or whale shark. Despite their tremendous size and intimidating appearance, whale sharks are commonly docile and approachable. Please keep your distance, giving them the respect and space they deserve.
What are the holes in the doomsday fish? ›
It appeared to have several holes in its body believed to be bites inflicted while escaping from a shark attack. The illusive creature, said to be a harbinger of earthquakes and other natural disasters, measured at least 8ft long and had bulging round eyes.
What is the biggest fish in the world that is extinct? ›
Leedsichthys is an extinct genus of pachycormid fish that lived in the oceans of the Middle to Late Jurassic. It is the largest ray-finned fish, and amongst the largest fish known to have ever existed.
The fish here in question is the oarfish, also known as 'harbinger of doom' or 'the earthquake fish,' which is generally found in waters at a depth of 1,000 metres and is rarely seen by humans on the surface.
What was the 6 foot long fish found? ›
It was an enormous deep-sea Oarfish, spotted off the northeastern coast of Taiwan. How big was it? Roughly more than 6 feet long. The Oarfish was found dotted with what appeared to be giant bite marks.
Do fish jump out of water before an earthquake? ›
Bizarre incident of fish jumping out of water in Philippines caused by upwelling, not earthquake. Countless sardines beached themselves on an island in the Philippines around 48 hours before a major earthquake. But experts say a phenomenon known as "upwelling" was to blame instead.
Why do oarfish lose their tails? ›
In some oarfishes found, end of tails may appear stump-like; this is likely the consequence of self-amputation that is thought to be a defense mechanism against predators. Hyperostotic bone growth has been documented in several specimen of oarfish that have washed up on the coast of California.
What is the mysterious fish in Taiwan? ›
The video which is going viral on the internet shows stunned divers circling around the shimmery fish. Divers in Taiwan spotted a giant oarfish with mysterious holes in its body. The rare sea creature- nicknamed the "doomsday fish" was spotted floating eerily upright near Ruifang District in Taipei, CNN reported.
Why is there a hole in the oarfish? ›
The fish also had strange circular holes across its body, which experts think were caused by a cookie-cutter shark.
What is the president's fish in Taiwan? ›
Aruzay is the favorite dish of the late President Chiang, Kai-Shek and hence is called the President's Fish by local fishermen. Aruzay is one of the teeming breeds in Sun Moon Lake and also the signature dishes of many of the local restaurants.
