Was the oarfish a sea serpent?
The oarfish is a deep-sea fish with a long, slender, shining silver body and a red, mane-like dorsal fin. It grows over 3 meters long, and large ones are said to exceed 8 meters. Because of its shape, it has been thought to be behind the sea serpents seen by sailors. In Japan, too, one theory says oarfish washed up on beaches inspired mermaid legends.
How it was discovered and confirmed
The oarfish was scientifically described in the 18th century, but because it lives in the deep sea, its living form was almost unknown. It became known when weakened individuals floated near the surface or washed up on beaches. Since the 2000s, deep-sea surveys and underwater filming have recorded living oarfish swimming vertically as they drift.
The oarfish and earthquakes
In Japan there is a saying that “when an oarfish washes ashore, a great earthquake will follow,” and it often comes up as a sign of a coming quake. However, a study published in 2019 compared past records of deep-sea fish appearances with earthquakes and found no link between them. The Japanese name, ryugu no tsukai, means “messenger from the Dragon Palace,” the palace of the sea god at the bottom of the sea.
