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Their sudden appearances have long been associated with myths of impending disasters, earning them the nickname “doomsday fish”.
Oarfish are rarely spotted near the surface. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
A bizarre discovery on the beaches of Lanzarote has reignited age-old superstitions. On February 10, stunned beachgoers came across a rarely seen deep-sea creature, the oarfish. With its shimmering silver body and flowing orange fins, the massive fish instantly became a topic of fascination and fear. Typically found in the mesopelagic zone, a deep ocean layer where sunlight fails to penetrate, oarfish are rarely spotted near the surface. Their sudden appearances, however, have long been associated with myths of impending disasters, earning them the nickname “doomsday fish.”
In the months leading up to Japan’s devastating 2011 earthquake, at least 20 of these deep-sea dwellers were discovered washed up on the country’s shores, reports The Independent. A video showing this latest occurrence has been going viral on Instagram. In the footage, a man in swimwear cautiously approaches the stranded oarfish, a creature revered in Japanese folklore as the “Messenger of the Sea God,” or ryūgū no tsukai.
Watch it here:
When two oarfish appeared on Californian beaches in 2013, experts speculated that seismic activity beneath the ocean floor could have been responsible. It is believed that earthquakes create shifts in pressure, potentially disorienting or harming deep-sea creatures. Another theory suggests that large quantities of carbon monoxide gas released prior to an earthquake could also impact marine life, forcing them toward the surface, informs The Independent.
The eerie sighting has set social media abuzz with speculation. One user commented, “Something bad is going to happen.” Another warned, “They show up before natural disasters,” while a third agreed saying, “Usually, it means that an earthquake is coming when it appears on the surface of the water.”
“I feel so scared now, this is not a good sign. The doomsday is near,” wrote a viewer.
Oarfish are capable of growing beyond six metres in length, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Their elusive nature and occasional strandings continue to spark intrigue, with some scientists acknowledging a potential link between these fish and seismic activity.
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