“Barracuda, a predatory fish that typically hunts on the seabed, draws public attention by beaching itself. Scientists are still uncertain about the reasons behind the frequent stranding of this species.”
The lancetfish is a species of fish with long, sharp teeth like fangs, which spends most of its time hunting at the bottom of the sea. However, for hundreds of years, this fish has occasionally drifted onto the western coast of the United States.
The latest appearance of the lancetfish was on the coast of Oregon on May 1st, according to state officials. Scientists still do not know why a fish that lives at the bottom of the ocean would drift onto the shore, according to the New York Times.
Not many people care about the lancetfish because it does not have much commercial value. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that the lancetfish could migrate to nearby Arctic waters, such as the Bering Sea, to hunt for prey.
Dr. Elan Portner, a specialist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said that the lancetfish has been washing up on the West Coast for at least 300 years, possibly longer.
Benjamin Frable, also a specialist at Scripps, offered some ideas about why lancetfish might drift onto the shore. One possibility is that they chase prey into shallow waters and then become stranded. Lancetfish are not very agile, and their body structure makes it difficult for them to move away from the coast.
Adult lancetfish can grow to be about 2 meters long and are one of the largest predatory fish in the deep ocean.
Scientists say that researching the ocean floor is a difficult and resource-intensive job. However, scientists may be able to find more clues about the deep-sea ecosystem by studying the stomach contents of the lancetfish, as this species is able to swallow prey whole.
“Their stomachs are essentially like miniaturized refrigerators, keeping the prey in very good condition until we can get them back to the laboratory,” said Dr. Portner.
American experts say that scientists can imagine the details of many species of organisms thanks to the specimens found in the stomachs of lancetfish. These are species that live deep in the ocean and have never been observed.
Researchers also often find smaller lancetfish inside the stomachs of larger fish that wash up on the shore. Scientists believe that because of the large number of individuals, lancetfish are likely to prey on each other.
However, Dr. Portner said that scientists still do not know much about the reproductive mechanisms of the lancetfish.
U.S. officials and scientists are urging people to report or post on social media when they find lancetfish stranded on the shore. Dr. Portner said that being able to observe more specimens will help shed light on the reasons why the species…