A strange event took place in the deep waters off the coast of California, when researcher Alison Laferriere from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography found an enigmatic oarfish, known as the “fish of the end of the world”. While it’s the third time someone has managed to see it in recent years, what’s strange is that it’s an elusive fish that rarely surfaces.
Its name is related to the “judgment day” or the “end of the world” due to the legend that says this species only comes to the surface when humans are in danger. According to this legend, its appearance could be warning of a possible earthquake or tsunami, hence its apocalyptic name.
This species gained its reputation in the 17th century in Japan, although it was reinforced in 2011 when several of these specimens appeared on the coasts of that Asian country, some time before the mega-earthquake and tsunami that severely hit Japan in March of that same year. However, scientists found no evidence linking the fish to these events.
The oarfish is one of the most elusive and mysterious marine creatures that inhabit the depths of the sea, in areas where the sun does not reach. With its long, ribbon-like body, scaleless, red and silver in color, and over 4 meters long, this species remains an enigma, as very little is known about them due to their natural habitat.
### Is what is said about the fish of the end of the world true?
For the scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the increase in sightings of these fish could become a significant fact. For this reason, during the last few months, they started taking samples of the specimens found on the surface, hoping to discover the hidden reason behind these rare finds, which are becoming more and more frequent.
According to the institute’s experts, these sightings could be linked to ocean conditions, which caused a greater presence of these fish on the coasts. Additionally, phenomena like El Niño, strong winds, and red tides are believed to be other factors that contributed to their appearance.
These experts are confident that once the study of the samples in the laboratory is completed, they will be able to learn more about the history, biology, and anatomy of this animal. The samples will also be preserved for future studies and will be part of the Scripps Marine Vertebrate Collection, which has one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world.
**[Do you already know our YouTube channel? Subscribe!](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrYLIWysAyv4m833zGAQ02g)**
