Rare “Doomsday Fish” Washes Ashore in Southern California, Sparking Curiosity

A rare and unusual oarfish, nicknamed the “doomsday fish” due to its association with disasters in some cultures, has been discovered off the coast of Southern California, sparking both scientific interest and a touch of unease, CBS News reports.

This particular oarfish, a 12-foot-long specimen, was found dead near La Jolla Cove on August 10, by kayakers and snorkelers. The discovery marks one of only 20 confirmed sightings of an oarfish in California since 1901, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Oarfish are known for their striking appearance: long, silvery, ribbon-shaped bodies that can grow to over 30 feet in length, large eyes, and a crown-like cluster of red spines. They are deep-sea dwellers, rarely seen by humans.

Scientists from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps Institution of Oceanography will perform a necropsy on the oarfish to determine its cause of death. The remains will then be displayed in the Scripps Marine Vertebrate Collection, a world-renowned repository of deep-sea fish.

The oarfish’s ominous nickname is linked to the associations with earthquakes and other calamities in some parts of the world. Notably, 20 oarfish washed ashore in Japan shortly before the devastating 2011 earthquake. Coincidentally, the California oarfish was discovered just two days before a 4.4 magnitude earthquake hit Los Angeles.

While the connection between oarfish sightings and earthquakes remains scientifically unproven, the discovery has sparked curiosity and speculation, according to the report.