Rare deep-sea "doom fish" discovered near San Diego coast
A fish measuring around 4 metres and resembling a silver ribbon was found dead on the water's surface off the coast of San Diego. Scientists studying similar species do not doubt that this is an extremely rare situation.
A group of kayakers and divers encountered this giant near La Jolla Cove beach in San Diego. This is only the 20th time since 1901 that such a fish was found on the water's surface.
Strange fish found off the coast of San Diego
The natural habitat for these strange-looking giants is the deep sea. They live in the so-called "twilight zone," at 200 to 1,000 metres depth. Scientists believe they live a rather solitary life, feeding mainly on plankton, crustaceans, and even squid.
It is not clear what caused this fish to appear on the surface. However, scientists plan to conduct thorough studies that might bring more answers. At the moment, they suggest it could have been caused by injury, illness, or disorientation.
"Doom fish"
Studying creatures living in the so-called "twilight zone" is very difficult, so dead specimens often provide researchers with a lot of valuable information.
"With help from @NOAAFisheries& @caseagrant, the group was able to coordinate with lifeguards to transport the fish to the NOAA facility. Scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center & Scripps Oceanography will perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death," wrote Scripps Institution of Oceanography on their X profile.
Interestingly, although not well known, the found fish does not enjoy a good reputation. Many myths and superstitions have grown around it. In Japan, there is no shortage of people who call it the "doom fish," whose appearance heralds an earthquake and tsunami. Two days after being found off the coast of San Diego, California was hit by an earthquake of 4.4 on the Richter scale. However, scientists do not support people perpetuating these myths and believe it was a coincidence.
