An oarfish plays a starring role in my story, Head Over Eels in Laguna. This post is some of the research I came across. And yes, oarfish have been spotted in Southern California.
Appearance and Characteristics
Oarfish have a distinctive appearance:
- Body:
They have long, flat, silvery bodies, often with dark blotchy markings
that fade quickly after death. Unlike most fish, they are scaleless.
- Fins:
A prominent, reddish dorsal fin runs the entire length of their back,
starting from above their large eyes. Their pelvic fins are also elongated
and oar-shaped, though they are now believed to be used for taste
perception rather than locomotion. Their pectoral fins are greatly
reduced, and they lack an anal fin and sometimes a caudal (tail) fin, with
their body tapering to a fine point.
- Mouth:
They have small, protrusible mouths and no visible teeth, as they are
filter feeders.
Habitat and Behavior
Oarfish are pelagic species, meaning they live in
the open ocean, primarily in the mesopelagic zone, also known as the
"twilight zone," where little to no sunlight penetrates. This is
typically at depths ranging from about 600 feet (200 meters) to 3,300 feet
(1,000 meters).
Encounters with live oarfish are incredibly rare.
Most of what we know about them comes from specimens that have washed ashore on
beaches or been accidentally caught in nets. When they are found at the
surface, they are usually sick, dying, or have been disoriented by storms or
currents. They are weak swimmers and build little muscle mass, making them
vulnerable in shallower, turbulent waters.
They are thought to swim by undulating their long
dorsal fin while keeping their body relatively straight. They can also hover
vertically in the water, which helps them blend into their dark environment and
sense prey.
Folklore and the "Earthquake
Fish" Myth
Oarfish have often been associated with myths and
superstitions, particularly in Japanese folklore, where they are known as
"ryugu no tsukai," or "messengers from the sea god's
palace." Legend states that their appearance in shallow waters or on
beaches is a warning sign of impending earthquakes or tsunamis, earning them
the nickname "doomsday fish."
This myth gained some traction in 2011 when several
oarfish washed ashore in Japan shortly before a major earthquake and tsunami.
However, scientists generally assert that there is no conclusive evidence
to support a direct link between oarfish sightings and seismic activity. Their
surfacing is more likely due to illness, injury, disorientation from storms, or
changes in ocean currents and temperatures, rather than an ability to predict
earthquakes.
Oarfish are harmless to humans, and their mysterious
nature and infrequent sightings continue to fuel their legendary status.
Southern California is indeed one of the few places
in the world where oarfish sightings, particularly strandings, have been
relatively well-documented, though they remain extremely rare events overall.
These occurrences offer invaluable opportunities for scientists to study these
elusive deep-sea creatures.
Notable Sightings and Discoveries
While still very uncommon, Southern California has
seen a handful of significant oarfish discoveries:
- Infrequent
but Consistent: Since 1901, there have been just
over two dozen recorded oarfish sightings or strandings along the
California coast, with the vast majority occurring in Southern California.
This makes the region something of a "hotspot" for these rare
events.
- Recent
Activity: In recent years, Southern
California has had a few notable sightings. For example, in August and
November of 2024, two separate oarfish washed ashore in the San Diego
area (one near La Jolla Cove and another in Encinitas), sparking
considerable interest. The August specimen was around 12 feet long, and
the November one was 9-10 feet.
- Catalina
Island and Oceanside (2013): Two highly
publicized oarfish strandings occurred in October 2013. An 18-foot oarfish
was discovered by a snorkeler off Santa Catalina Island, and a few days
later, a 14-foot oarfish washed up in Oceanside. These events captured
international attention due to the size and rarity of the fish.
Scientific Significance
When an oarfish washes ashore in Southern
California, it's a huge event for marine biologists, especially those at
institutions like the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.
These rare specimens provide a unique chance to learn about a species that
spends most of its life in the deep ocean, far from human observation.
Scientists quickly move to recover these specimens
to conduct necropsies (animal autopsies) and take samples. This allows
them to study:
- Biology
and Anatomy: Gaining insights into their
physical characteristics and internal systems.
- Genomics
and Life History: Collecting genetic material
for DNA analysis and trying to understand their reproductive cycles,
growth rates, and overall life span.
- Oceanic
Conditions: Researchers investigate if there's
a correlation between the strandings and changes in ocean conditions, such
as El Niño/La Niña cycles, unusual currents, or other environmental
disturbances, which might push these deep-sea fish into shallower waters.
The "Doomsday Fish" Folklore
Like in other parts of the world, oarfish
appearances in Southern California often reignite discussions about their
mythical connection to natural disasters. In Japanese folklore, they're known
as "ryugu no tsukai" or "messengers from the sea god's
palace," believed to surface before earthquakes or tsunamis.
While some people in Southern California may express
concern when an oarfish appears, scientists universally state there's no
scientific evidence to support a direct link between oarfish strandings and
seismic activity. They emphasize that these fish are likely washing ashore
because they are sick, injured, disoriented, or have been impacted by unusual
currents or environmental changes, not because they are predicting disasters.
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