It always pays to keep one eye on the ocean and one eye on the sand when you’re walking along the beach at the Oregon Coast, a lesson reinforced by some Cannon Beach beachcombers who discovered a rare deep-sea angler fish known as a Pacific football fish (Himantoliphus sagamius) south of town on Saturday.
In a press release, Seaside Aquarium said the fish, which used a phosphorescent bulb attached to its forehead to attract prey, is believed to be the first of its species to ever be found in Oregon. Only 31 other specimens have been recorded around the world, in places like New Zealand, Japan, Chile, Hawaii and California.
Pacific football fish live at depths of 2,000 to 3,300 feet in the Pacific Ocean. Because food is scarce at that depth where sunlight cannot reach, the fish has evolved to eat anything that it can lure into its mouth.
Not much is known about this species that lives in the very dark depths of the ocean, but according to the Seaside Aquarium, “Only females actively hunt as the males are actually more like parasites.”
The male fish are 10 times smaller than females and to survive, must fuse themselves to a female. There, they lose their eyes and internal organs, the aquarium said, and get all their nutrients from the female, while providing her with a dependable source of sperm.
The Pacific football fish found Saturday may soon return to the depths, maybe as food for one of its family.
“The folks who found the fish wanted it to become part of the natural lifecycle,” the aquarium said, “and asked that we respectfully leave it on the beach.”
– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com or @lizzzyacker
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