Current:Home > Scams'Incredibly rare' dead sea serpent surfaces in California waters; just 1 of 20 since 1901 -WealthRise Academy
'Incredibly rare' dead sea serpent surfaces in California waters; just 1 of 20 since 1901
View
Date:2025-04-12 22:03:24
Nothing marks the sign of impending doom like the appearance of the elusive oarfish, according to Japanese folklore. Hopefully it's just a myth, since one was recently found floating in Southern California waters for only the 20th time in nearly 125 years.
A team of “sciencey” kayakers and snorkelers found the dead sea serpent while they were out for a swim at La Jolla Cove in San Diego over the weekend, according to Lauren Fimbres Wood, a spokesperson for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.
A number of people, including the team of scientists and lifeguards, worked together to get the oarfish from the beach to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration facility, Fimbres Wood told USA TODAY on Friday.
Only 20 oarfish have washed up in the state since 1901, making the sighting of the deep-sea fish “incredibly rare,” according Scripps' in-house fish expert Ben Frable.
A necropsy for the “mysterious species” was underway Friday afternoon, with scientists working to determine cause of death.
Oarfish are an omen of impending disaster, Japanese folklore says
The belief that the sight of an oarfish in shallow waters is an omen of an impending earthquake dates back to 17th century Japan, according to reporting by Atlas Obscura.
The fish, also know as “ryugu no tsukai,” were believed to be servants of the sea god Ryūjin, according to Japanese folklore.
It’s believed that “Ryugu no tsukai,” which translates to “messenger from the sea god’s palace,” were sent from the palace toward the surface to warn people of earthquakes, USA TODAY reported.
There were multiple sightings of the fish reported ahead of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and Fukishima nuclear disaster, but there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the two events are connected, Hiroyuki Motomura, a professor of ichthyology at Kagoshima University, told the New York Post.
“I believe these fish tend to rise to the surface when their physical condition is poor, rising on water currents, which is why they are so often dead when they are found,” Motomura told the Post.
The “connection” between the two might have to do with the fact that the shimmery creature typically lives in the deep sea, dwelling anywhere between 700 and 3,280 feet below the surface, according to USA TODAY reporting. And it rarely comes up to the surface.
These majestic creatures have been spotted in waters all over the world, with sightings reported in California, Maine, New Jersey, Taiwan and Japan, of course.
Cause of oarfish washing ashore unclear
Scientists are unable to speculate why the oarfish washed ashore in California over the weekend, saying that each specimen collected provides a unique opportunity to learn more about the species.
The unique creature will be preserved for future study, becoming part of the Scripps’ Marine Vertebrate Collection, one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world, according to Fimbres Wood.
Should you encounter a unique creature on a California beach, you are encouraged to alert lifeguards and contact the institute at (858) 534-3624 or at [email protected]. Taking creatures home is prohibited.
Contributing: James Powell; USA TODAY
veryGood! (19)
Related
- Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
- New coach Jim Harbaugh will have the Chargers in a Super Bowl sooner than you think
- Ring will no longer allow police to request users' doorbell camera footage
- New gene-editing tools may help wipe out mosquito-borne diseases
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Robert De Niro says fatherhood 'feels great' at 80, gets emotional over his baby daughter
- Why Bachelor Nation's Susie Evans and Justin Glaze Decided to Finally Move Out of the Friend Zone
- Where do things stand with the sexual assault case involving 2018 Canada world junior players?
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- Who is Jelly Roll? A look at his journey from prison to best new artist Grammy nominee
Ranking
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Republican National Committee plans to soon consider declaring Trump the ‘presumptive 2024 nominee’
- Wisconsin Assembly approves a bill mandating a limit on the wolf population, sends proposal to Evers
- Spielberg and Hanks take to the World War II skies in 'Masters of the Air'
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- Wisconsin Assembly approves a bill mandating a limit on the wolf population, sends proposal to Evers
- First IVF rhino pregnancy could save northern white rhinos from the brink of extinction.
- Justin Timberlake says album is coming in March, drops 'Selfish' music video: Watch
Recommendation
All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
Golden syrup is a century-old sweetener in Britain. Here's why it's suddenly popular.
Prosecutor tells jury that mother of Michigan school shooter is at fault for 4 student deaths
Biden unveils nearly $5 billion in new infrastructure projects
Trump's 'stop
Sofia Richie is pregnant, expecting first child with husband Elliot Grainge
The economy grew a faster than expected 3.3% late last year
Music student from China convicted of harassing person over democracy leaflet