The longest fish in the world

[Djamila]

The Oarfish generally grows to be as long as a two-storie house is high. They live at the very bottom of the ocean and rarely end up anywhere near the surface.

In the water, they swim with their bodies aligned vertically:

They have a mouth that stretches out like an elephant's trunk to snap up small prey, but normally that mouth is stored inside its body - it only shoots out to catch prey.

 

[Bishka]

Weird, but awesome at the same time!

 

[Gentoo]

That is a big fish... do you know the scientific name? Anything else about it?

 

[Booko]

Now that they've got it out of the water -- is it edible? :eat:

 

[Gentoo]

That is a big fish... do you know the scientific name? Anything else about it?

For those who are curious (or who realize that animals are their life... *ahem):

Oarfish are large, greatly elongated, pelagic Lampriform fish comprising the small family Regalecidae. Found in all temperate to tropical oceans yet rarely seen, the oarfish family contains four species in two genera. One of these, the king of herrings (Regalecus glesne), is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest bony fish alive, at up to 11 metres in length.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oarfish

 

[Scuba Pete]

Pelagic as opposed to benthic, means they live in the open ocean and not along the bottom. Watch a small oar fish swim: http://www.oceanfootage.com/stockfo...CKIE=54132648f7db42c6e4947a7471fcb9fcb33aa727

 

[Gentoo]

Pelagic as opposed to benthic, means they live in the open ocean and not along the bottom. Watch a small oar fish swim: http://www.oceanfootage.com/stockfootage/Oar_Fish//?DVfSESSCKIE=54132648f7db42c6e4947a7471fcb9fcb33aa727

What an interesting way for it to swim.... I'm not that well schooled in fisheries, but I haven't seen anything quite like that before.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Fish are opportunistic feeders. I would guess that these guys are vertical and looking for a dark spot above them (blocking the light) and then their mouth extends to suck in their prey. Their eyes do not seem adapted to extreme depths (not near as big as a squid). The undulating dorsal fin is typical for any fish with such a long fin and especially if they have no tail fin.

I would love to see one in real life. But I don't dive quite that deep!