The lesser known facts about Oarfish!

Zee Media Buraeu

The least explored area of deep sea is a home of many mysterious creatures. Earlier it was thought that no life would be possible there. But on the contrary, marine life blooms in the deep sea and

Oarfish is one such example.

The lifecycle of this rare deep-sea dwelling fish always remained hidden behind the walls of myths and misinformation. To set the record straight, here are some of the most interesting facts about the Oarfish:

1. Oarfish are the longest bony fish family in the ocean that reaches a length of about 17 meters and weighs up to 600 pounds.

2. They are deep sea creatures and normally live at depths of 500-1000ft.

3.Like lizards, Oarfish can also amputate the end of their own tails when threatened with predators.

4. Many historic tales describe them as sea monster but in reality they are toothless and harmless.

5. They feed on krill or tiny plankton.

6. They lack scales. Instead their bodies are covered with little bumps called tubercules.

7. They are super shiny as their entire body is coated with a slivery like material called guanine.

8. Many marine biologists claims that they are weak swimmers. They are often found hanging vertically in the water with their heads pointing up.