Seaside Aquarium – Syndication Server

A deep-sea anglerfish, known to live at depths between 2,000 and 3,300 feet, was found washed ashore on an Oregon beach by beachcombers.

The rarely seen specimen, also known as a Pacific football fish (Himantoliphus sagamius), was discovered just south of Cannon Beach, located about a 15-minute drive south of Seaside, the Seaside Aquarium reported Saturday.

“While a handful of football fish have been recorded in New Zealand, Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Ecuador, Chile and California, this is the first one reported on the Oregon Coast to our knowledge,” Seaside Aquarium wrote.

The deep-sea anglerfish is unique as it features a light that protrudes from its forehead and is used to lure in prey.

Oceana explains:

“They also have a lure, like all anglerfishes, that they use to attract prey. The deep-sea anglerfish’s lure is filled with bacteria that make their own light. Using a muscular skin flap, a deep-sea anglerfish can either hide or reveal its lighted lure. By pulsing the light and moving the lure back and forth, they successfully attract pelagic crustaceans, fishes, and other prey. The lure is also used to attract a mate.”

The deep-sea anglerfish is not a picky eater, and can’t afford to be since food at such great depths can be sparse.

“They eat anything that can fit into their mouths,” Seaside Aquarium stated. “Only females actively hunt as the males are actually more like parasites. Males being 10 times smaller than females, find a female to fuse themselves to. They lose their eyes and internal organs, getting all their nutrients from their female partners. In return, they provide females with a steady source of sperm. How the males find the females in the pitch dark is still unknown.”

The stranding of a large thresher shark Friday in Washington State presented biologists with a unique opportunity to educate beachgoers.

The shark, estimated to weigh between 300 and 365 pounds, washed ashore on the Long Beach Peninsula near Ocean Park. It died shortly after Seaside Aquarium personnel arrived in response to reports of the stranding.

It was the second thresher shark to have stranded in the area since Aug. 18, when a 12-foot shark washed ashore. Experts are still trying to determine the reason for both strandings.

But they perceived Friday’s event as an opportunity to provide “a learning experience” for the public, the Seaside Aquarium explained on Facebook.

A public viewing was held on the beach Saturday from 9-11 a.m. That was followed by a necropsy attended by as many as 75 people.

“It is not very often that we get to see these large sharks and anything we can learn or educate the public on is a great opportunity,” the aquarium stated.

Thresher sharks are unique predators, easy to identify because of their long tail fins, which they use to “thrash” and stun schooling fish, which become prey.

“People were really interested and asked a lot of great questions,” the aquarium wrote. “Most people were fascinated by the length of the shark’s tail, in which it is named after.”

The next step, hopefully, as to determine why thresher sharks are washing ashore.

“That is the million-dollar question,” the aquarium acknowledged, “and that is why it is important to be able to collect data and various tissue and organ samples.”

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Tag: Seaside Aquarium

Rare sea creature equipped with a light washes ashore in Oregon

Mysterious shark stranding a ‘learning experience’ for public