Oarfish

Holding the Guinness World record as the longest bony fish in the world, the beautiful and mysterious Oarfish is a serpentine, deep sea creature that can grow to as long as 56 ft. in length and weigh as much as 100 pounds.

Feeding primarily on zooplankton, straining tiny shrimp and other crustaceans from the water, as well as eating small fish, jellyfish and squid, the oarfish may in turn be preyed upon by larger ocean carnivores such as whitetip reef sharks.

Found throughout the deep seas of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, little is actually known about their behaviour and ecology beyond what’s been gleaned through rare encounters with divers, remote submersibles and the odd accidental catch. 

However they are apparently solitary, living at depths as far down as 1,000 metres or 3,300 feet, meaning that most are discovered either dying at the sea surface or washed ashore. Indeed, scientists believe that they may well be responsible for the many sightings of sea serpents reported by ancient mariners, and Japanese folklore holds that that the oarfish is a messenger of warning from the Sea God's palace, heralding the coming of earthquakes.

Thankfully this beautiful fish is thought to exist in sufficient numbers that it is not considered endangered, so there may yet be time for us to learn about these fascinating creatures.

To view more on the Oarfish visit,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yIWfCAC5y0