Scaleless fanged fish found on Oregon beaches, officials baffled

According to Fox Weather, a number of bizarre fish with fanged jaws and large eyeballs have washed up on the shores of Oregon. In the ocean, these fish are typically found more than a mile down. According to the site, scientists are perplexed by the unexpected appearance of the fish with the sail-like fin, fierce-looking jaws, and protruding eyes. These lancetfish resemble creatures that formerly swam alongside dinosaurs. The fish’s story and pictures were posted on Facebook by the Oregon State Parks. “Several lancetfish have washed ashore on Oregon’s beaches the last few weeks from Nehalem south to Bandon. These deep-sea fish live in tropical and subtropical waters and can migrate as far north as the Bering Sea to feed. No one is sure why they are washing ashore,” it said in the Facebook post.

These are the largest deep-sea fish that are members of the genus Alepisaurus, which is named after the “scaleless lizard”

“The one shown here was found alive, helped back to the ocean and it swam off,” the Oregon State Parks added. Beachgoers who observe the fish are advised to take pictures and share them online with tags for the NOAA Fisheries West Coast region and the agency. These are the largest deep-sea fish that are members of the genus Alepisaurus, which is named after the “scaleless lizard” for which it is named. According to the organization, these animals may reach lengths of more than 7 feet and can dive more than a mile below the surface of the water. According to Fox Weather, quoting NOAA Fisheries, since 1982, NOAA groundfish surveys have discovered two lancetfish in the Gulf of Alaska, four close to the Aleutian Islands, and ten in the Eastern Bering Sea.