A rare – and completely unfamiliar – sighting of a nearly five-foot-long lancetfish has marine enthusiasts across the Oregon coast all abuzz! Staff from the nearby Seaside Aquarium found this rare fish. It is a gulfhead species, an inhabitant of the mesopelagic zone, commonly known as the “Twilight Zone.” Thirteen fanged teeth, wide mouth. That’s right, fanged teeth found in a creature that is otherwise wholly unique. Its wondrous attributes captivate both beachgoers and scientists alike.
Lancetfish get their name from their scientific genus, Alepisaurus, which roughly translates to “scaleless lizard.” They’ve been documented living at extreme ocean depths, swimming more than a mile below the surface. These fish are mostly native, warm-water species. Yet, they are able to travel as far north as the Bering Sea, making the Pacific Northwest coast a vital stop along their migratory path each summer.
The Discovery
Tiffany Boothe, education coordinator and staff member at Seaside Aquarium, communicated their enthusiasm about the recent discovery. “When he showed us the picture, it was such a fresh, great specimen that we were like, ‘Sweet, we’re gonna go pick it up,’” Boothe shared. The aquarium typically only gets six lancetfish a year in their neck of the ocean. Finding one in this excellent condition is a stroke of luck.
And as promising as they might look, Boothe explained how difficult it can be to deal with lancetfish. “It doesn’t look like a very friendly fish. If I saw that fish alive, I wouldn’t touch it,” she stated. Their enormous jaws packed with sharp teeth make them look a little bit fearsome, but you quickly recognize their specialized predatory self.
The Role of Lancetfish in the Ecosystem
Lancetfish are mid-level predators that serve as an important link in marine ecosystems. For one, their gelatinous flesh draws a host of opportunistic feeders like seagulls, which often dine on them when washed up on the beach. “They have gelatinous flesh that the seagulls just absolutely go crazy after,” Boothe explained. This unique feeding behavior makes a huge contribution to the recycling of nutrients in coastal habitats, like seagrass meadows and coral reefs.
It provides a unique opportunity to study the shifts that occur in marine food webs. This work takes on added urgency during major climate phenomena such as El Niño or La Niña. The better we understand these changes, the better we can equip scientists to track and adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of our ocean ecosystems.
The Challenges of Preservation
Through the years, the Seaside Aquarium has had a tough time keeping lancetfish specimens preserved. Boothe said that they’ve never been able to keep one alive for more than an hour or so. The aquarium boasts a magnificent mounted lancetfish. The unusual fish was discovered by staff in the ’90s, and an expert taxidermist beautifully mounted its unusual form. This mounted specimen is an essential educational tool that helps us give visitors an up-close look at this elusive and rarely seen creature.
It is difficult to obtain lancetfish specimens that are non-frozen and unspoiled. Boothe remarked, “So it’s kind of hard to find ones that are fresh and that intact.” The infrequency of these appearances only contributes to the mystique around these abyssal creatures.
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