Scientists Study Rare Deep-Sea 'Doomsday Fish' Found In San Diego

LA JOLLA, CA — Scientists are studying a rarely seen deep-sea fish that was found off San Diego and has captured global attention.

A group of scientists from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California State University Fullerton, and NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center examined a rare short-crested oarfish, nicknamed the "doomsday fish," that had washed up Aug. 10 in La Jolla Cove.

A necropsy, or animal autopsy, was conducted Friday at Southwest Fisheries Science Center, where the adult male fish measured 12.25 feet in length and weighed 74.3 pounds. Although the fish was in good condition, it was not clear why it died.

"Scientists speculate that it could have washed up due to injury, illness or disorientation," said Brittany Hook, assistant director of communications for Scripps. "La Jolla Shores is situated next to two underwater canyons that funnel deep water close to shore."

A group of kayakers and snorkelers found the fish, marking only the 20th-recorded oarfish to have washed up in California since 1901, according to Ben Frable, senior collection manager of marine vertebrates at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

"We rarely interact with them, so each specimen can provide valuable information about these unique creatures and open ocean ecosystems in general," Frable told Patch.

Although no correlation has been proven, oarfish have a mythical reputation as predictors of natural disasters such as earthquakes.

Oarfish live in deep ocean water at depths from 650 to 3,300 feet. The sight of them in shallow waters is an omen of earthquakes, according to Japanese legend. In 2011, 20 oarfish washed ashore in Japan in the months leading up to the deadly 9.1-magnitude earthquake.

Coincidentally, the mysterious creature was found off San Diego days before a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck in Los Angeles and rattled much of Southern California.

Scientists obtained samples of the fish that will be used to shed light on the little known biology of oarfish.

The samples will be used to generate the first high-quality, chromosome-level genome for the longest bony fish in the world, Hook said. Samples will also be used to better understand foraging ecology, or what the fish is eating and its role in the marine food web, as well as look at the filtering anatomy and to inform studies of metabolism and feeding strategies, and much more.

The fish is being preserved and will be part of the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps, which houses one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world.

This week, Birch Aquarium at Scripps opened a special temporary exhibit with more information on the mysterious fish. The display in the main galleria at Birch Aquarium includes a life-size gyotaku art print of the fish that was created after the necropsy was completed.

"This oarfish presents a rare opportunity to obtain fresh samples for genomic analysis, allowing us to study the evolutionary adaptations that enable this species to thrive in deep-sea environments," said Dahiana Arcila, marine biologist and curator of the Marine Vertebrate Collection. "This finding also significantly contributes to documenting life on our planet, with each specimen providing valuable data to guide conservation efforts and enhance our understanding of marine ecosystems. Collections like ours play a crucial role in preserving these specimens for future research, ensuring that we can continue to learn from them for generations to come."

• Also see: Rare Deep-Sea 'Doomsday Fish' Found In Southern California