Two days before a moderate earthquake rattled Los Angeles, kayakers and snorkelers in La Jolla, California, stumbled upon a dead oarfish, an event sparking intrigue and ancient superstitions.
A 12-foot oarfish, often dubbed the "doomsday fish," was discovered dead off the coast of La Jolla, shortly before a 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck Los Angeles, FOX News reported.
The oceanic enigma surfaced when local kayakers and snorkelers found the rare specimen floating near La Jolla Cove. Oarfish, known for their elusive deep-sea habitat and striking appearance, can grow up to 36 feet in length, making this 12-foot discovery noteworthy but not fully grown.
Instantly, the find garnered significant attention, not only for the rarity of seeing an oarfish but also due to the folklore linked to these creatures. Historically, sightings of the serpentine fish are thought to presage natural calamities, particularly earthquakes, a belief stemming from past occurrences around Japan.
Following the discovery, a team comprising researchers and science enthusiasts quickly responded to recover the oarfish. They coordinated with local lifeguards and involved teams from the NOAA Fisheries Service and California Sea Grant to ensure the transport of the specimen to a NOAA facility.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which has an extensive history of marine research, underscored the rarity of such events. Notably, they've chronicled only twenty similar instances in California since the early 20th century, highlighting the importance of this discovery.
At the NOAA facility, scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps Oceanography prepped for a detailed necropsy. "Scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps Oceanography will perform a necropsy to see if they can determine a cause of death," stated the experts at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Understanding why the oarfish died could provide insight into oceanic health and potentially, broader environmental indicators. Historically, these creatures feed on plankton, crustaceans, and squid, filtering these through their unique gill rakes, which could also yield clues about changes in their deep-sea environments.
While the necropsy aims to uncover the cause of the untimely death, there is also a plan for further preservation. Post-analysis, the specimen will join the Scripps Marine Vertebrate Collection at the University of California San Diego, a repository that houses about two million alcohol-preserved specimens. This addition ensures that the oarfish will serve educational and research endeavors long after its demise.
This procedure not only helps scientists get to the literal guts of the matter but also vastly enriches the scientific community's understanding of such rare marine life forms.
Interestingly, the calendar only deepened the mystery. Two days after the oarfish was found, Los Angeles experienced a 4.6-magnitude earthquake, igniting discussions and concerns about the legend of the so-called "doomsday fish." While seismologists regularly advise that no scientific evidence connects the presence of dead oarfish with seismic activities, the folklore persists among the public and the media.
This event highlights not only the superstitions surrounding oarfish but also the general apprehension about forecasting and understanding earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Every marine discovery, especially of such rare and deep-sea creatures, provides significant learning opportunities. These findings allow researchers to better understand the marine biosystem's dynamics and its intricate connection with terrestrial phenomena.
The ongoing studies and the eventual public display of this oarfish will likely provide valuable educational material and stoke further interest in marine biology and environmental science.
In conclusion, the discovery of the dead oarfish in La Jolla and the subsequent earthquake in Los Angeles have reignited interest in deep-sea creatures and their connections to folklore and natural phenomena. These events underscore the importance of marine research and the continuous exploration of both scientific and mythological aspects surrounding rare oceanic lives.
