Footage of a giant oarfish swimming in the Gulf of Mexico has emerged.
The rare encounter was captured by a remotely operated vehicle at least 463 meters below the surface of the ocean.
With the capacity to reach over 50 feet in length, Regalecus glesne is the longest bony fish alive. The species can weigh as much as 600lbs.
The giant oarfish was filmed by a remotely operated vehicle
A 5 June paper published in the Journal of Fish Biology reports just five live observations of the giant between 2008 and 2011.
In Japan, they are traditionally known as "Messengers from the Sea God's Palace" and are believed to be the harbingers of powerful earthquakes.
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We're gonna need a bigger beach: An oarfish on the shore of a Mexican beach last year
The BBC reports that the fish's extreme proportions, combined with a prominent dorsal fin and undulating swimming motion, could have been the basis for ancient myths of sea-serpents.
The species is thought to live at depths between 700 and 3,000 feet in temperate and tropical waters.
Oarfish Photos And Video
