Doomsday Fish:
Appearances of the doomsday fish near Baja California Sur, Mexico have ignited discussions on social media.
- It is also known as Orafish and the “sea serpent” is a deep-sea dweller that rarely comes near the surface.
- It is known for its long, ribbon-like body and bright orange fins.
- It can grow to more than 30 feet, which makes them quite the sight to behold.
- It is filter feeders and primarily eats krill, plankton and other small crustaceans.
- They are deep-sea dwellers, thriving most often in the zone least explored by scientists to date: the mesopelagic zone (waters down to 1,000 meters).
- In some areas of the world, these creatures are seen as being harbingers of bad news, particularly disasters or destruction.
- The oarfish has the nickname of “Ryugu no tsukai,” or “sea god’s palace messenger,” in Japanese folklore.
- This myth traces back to the 17th century and says that the surfacing of the oarfish is a harbinger of future natural disasters.
- The myth received strong support in 2011 when several oarfish washed up on beaches in Japan only some months before the destructive Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
