Oddly shaped lancetfish has recently been showing up off the coast of the United States. Usually, this type of fish is rarely seen. In such a situation, fisheries experts are in a confusing situation.
There have been reports of sightings of this species on the beaches of Organ State Park. Lancetfish have large eyes and dagger-like fangs. It is commonly found in tropical and subtropical waters.
This species of fish can be found in water as deep as 3300 feet below sea level. It is a deep sea fish and grows up to 7 feet long. They have a large fin that spans almost the entire body.
Male, as well as female genitals, are located between them. A unique feature of their body is their muscular and porous body. You can call this fish a cannibal. Because they eat small lancets.
The fact that so many lancetfish have washed up along 180 miles of the Oregon coast has baffled experts. Daniel J. Kamikawa, a fisheries biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Northwest Fisheries Science Center, proposed three possible theories through research.
The first theory suggests that, fish of this species are injured or sick, and cannot swim effectively, causing them to be washed ashore. A second theory is that a storm could wash them away. A third theory is related to temperature changes, to which the fish suddenly failed to acclimatize. They could not tolerate exposure to very cold water. As a result these fishes face uncomfortable situations and later become disabled or even die.
There have been instances in the past of finding isolated lancetfish on the coastline. One of the lancetfish found off the Oregon coast survived long enough to be helped back to sea; where it swam. It’s not clear why these unusual fish washed up on the Oregon coast, but researchers are trying to understand the situation.