Very long, ribbon-shaped fish (Regalecus glesne) widespread in tropical and warm temperate seas; length up to 7 m/23 ft; body extremely slender, compressed, tapering posteriorly; dorsal fin extending full length of body, tail fin absent, pelvis reduced to long filaments. (Family: Regalecidae.)
| iOarfish | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
King of herrings |
||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Genera | ||||||||||
|
Agrostichthys |
Oarfish are large, greatly elongated, pelagic Lampriform fish comprising the small family Regalecidae. Found in all temperate to tropical oceans yet rarely seen, the oarfish family contains four species in two genera. The occasional beachings of oarfish after storms, and their habit of lingering at the surface when sick or dying, have given oarfish a place in maritime folklore as the probable source of many sea serpent tales.
Although the larger species are considered game fish and are (to a minor extent) fished commercially, oarfish are rarely caught alive;
Like other members of their order, oarfish have small yet highly protrusible oblique mouth with no visible teeth.
Oarfish coloration is also variable; The streamer fish is known to reach 3 metres total length whilst the largest recorded specimen of Regalecus russelii measured just 5.5 centimetres standard length.
Life history
Rare encounters with divers and accidental catches by trawls have supplied what little is known of oarfish behaviour and ecology. It was not until 2001 that an oarfish was filmed alive and in situ: the 1.5 metre fish was spotted by a group of US Navy personnel during the inspection of a buoy in the Bahamas . Perhaps indicating a feeding posture, oarfish have been observed swimming in a vertical orientation, with their long axes perpendicular to the ocean surface.
Oarfish feed primarily on zooplankton, selectively straining tiny euphausiids, shrimp, and other crustaceans from the water. In contrast, adult oarfish are rarely seen at the surface when not sick or injured.
User Comments Add a comment…