Oarfish

deep ocean · extreme animals · rare creatures · giant fish

Longest bony fish. Oarfish are among the longest fish in the entire ocean, with some species growing to incredible lengths. Their extremely long bodies make them one of the most striking creatures of the deep sea.

Rarely seen alive. Even though oarfish are enormous, they live in deep ocean zones and are so elusive that humans almost never encounter them alive. Most of what we know about them comes from dead fish that wash ashore or are caught by accident.

Three mysterious species. There are three species of oarfish split between two groups: Regalecus glesne, Regalecus russelii, and Agrostichthys parkeri. Each one calls different parts of the ocean home.

Deep ocean dwellers. Oarfish live in the pelagic zone, which means they roam the open ocean far from the seafloor. They thrive in both temperate and tropical waters around the world.