Giant oarfish

The giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne) is a deep-sea fish with an exceptionally long, ribbon-shaped silvery body and a red dorsal fin. It occurs in oceans worldwide.

Regalecidae: A family of large, elongated marine fishes known as oarfishes. The giant oarfish is the largest member of this fish family.
Zooplankton: Small animals and animal-like organisms that drift in aquatic environments. Giant oarfish feed largely on drifting plankton, including small crustaceans.
Oarfish stranding: The appearance of a live or dead oarfish in shallow water or on shore. Most close examinations of giant oarfish follow encounters near the surface or strandings.
Oarfish: A common name for fishes in the family Regalecidae, including the giant oarfish. The giant oarfish is one species within the broader group called oarfishes.
Lampriformes: An order of mostly deep-sea marine fishes that includes oarfishes, ribbonfishes, and opahs. This order places the giant oarfish among several strikingly shaped open-water fishes.
Euphausiacea: An order of shrimp-like marine crustaceans commonly called krill. Krill are among the prey reported in giant oarfish diets.
2013 Southern California oarfish strandings: Two giant oarfish found in Southern California in October 2013, one on Catalina Island and one near Oceanside. These highly publicized strandings provided unusually accessible specimens.
Herring king: A name historically applied to the giant oarfish, based on reports of smaller fishes accompanying it. This old name reflects folklore and observation, not a distinct species.
Pelagic zone: The open-water region of oceans, away from the seabed and shore. Giant oarfish inhabit the open ocean rather than living on the seafloor.
Ram feeding: A feeding method in which an animal moves through water to capture prey in its path. The oarfish's small mouth and plankton diet are consistent with taking prey from surrounding water.

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