Nature & Environment

Rarely seen deep-sea creature washes up along the coast of Oregon

By T.K. Randall
May 24, 2024 ·  5 comments

This fish usually lives in complete darkness. Image Credit: Facebook / Seaside Aquarium There are countless sea creatures deep down in the depths of the ocean that most us will never see (including many that are new to science), so when one such animal suddenly washes up on a beach, it can offer a very rare opportunity to observe it up close.

Such was the case recently when a round, dark-colored fish appeared along the coast of Oregon.

Known as the Pacific football fish, this seldom-seen type of deep-sea angler fish can typically be found up to 3,300ft beneath the sea where it lives in complete darkness.It is so rare, in fact, that only 31 specimens have ever been documented worldwide.

"Like other angler fish, they use light that shines from a phosphorescent bulb on their forehead to attract prey," Seaside Aquarium wrote on Facebook.

"Food at the depths that these guys peruse can be very sparse, so football fish are not picky eaters. They eat anything that can fit into their mouths."



Source: CBS News | Comments (5)

Tags: Fish, Ocean