A puzzling discovery has been made on Oregon’s shores, as unusual fish with fangs and bulging eyes have been found washed up on several beaches. Experts have been left stumped as to why these deep-sea lancetfish are suddenly appearing in the area.
According to Oregon State Parks, the fish are known to live in tropical and subtropical waters, and can sometimes migrate as far north as the Bering Sea to feed. However, no one is certain why they are suddenly washing up on the shores of Oregon.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries have reported that lancetfish can grow to more than seven feet long and swim to depths of more than a mile below the sea surface. In 2018, research oceanographer Phoebe Woodworth-Jefcoats told NOAA Fisheries that these fish are often caught, but not eaten, making them mysterious and exciting subjects for research.
As experts continue to investigate the reason for the sudden appearance of these fanged fish, the mystery deepens. While the lancetfish may not be the most appetizing creatures, they are certainly fascinating to marine biologists and experts, who hope to unravel the secrets of the deep and the mysteries of the ocean’s food web.
