King of herrings

The king of herrings or Giant Oarfish, Regalecus glesne, an oarfish of the family Regalecidae, is found in all the world's oceans, at depths of between 66 feet and 1000 feet. Its total length can reach 39 feet (12 m), and it can weigh up to 600 pounds (270 kg). The rarely seen king of herrings is the world's longest bony fish.

King of herrings (Regalecus glesne), a species of oarfish. From plate XVII of Oceanic Ichthyology: A Treatise on the Deep-Sea and Pelagic Fishes of the World by George Brown Goode and Tarleton H. Bean. Published in 1895. A Smithsonian Institution Special Bulletin. Washington; Government Printing Office.

Clipped from: Scientists Capture Giant 'Sea Serpent' on Camera : Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

Scientists Capture Giant 'Sea Serpent' on Camera

A huge oarfish, also known as the ribbonfish, Regalecus glesne, was caught on camera in the Gulf of Mexico, giving scientists a rare glimpse of the bizarre fish in its native deep sea habitat. This is probably the largest bony fish in the seas, and it has the distinctive habit of swimming vertically (head up). Researcher Mark Benfield describes the fish, a likely inspiration for the sea serpent myth.

Clipped from: 2theadvocate.com | News | LSU's deep-sea studies get attention — Baton Rouge, LA

LSU's deep-sea studies get attention

Mark Benfield, LSU associate professor of oceanography and coastal studies, stands next to a Saipem America remotely operated underwater vehicle, while aboard BP’s Thunder Horse oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Benfield used the ROV to record rare footage of the oarfish at 1,500 feet below the surface of the water.

The discovery was a surprise even to Benfield, who admits he did not realize the importance of his own footage at first.

“We saw this huge object, and we didn’t know what it was,” Benfield said. “We thought it was an oil pipe actually.”

But then he realized it was moving backward and forward and Benfield was able to have the ROV follow it for about five minutes of possibly unprecedented video.

“When it swam it retreated backward at a pretty fast clip, undulating its dorsal fin,” he said.

Clipped from: YouTube - Giant deep sea fish .wmv

Clipped from: SERPENT: Deep sea research using ROVs.

SERPENT Project

The oceans are a vast, alien landscape, covering nearly three quarters of the Earth's surface. It is the last great frontier on our planet and the SERPENT project is exploring this mysterious and exciting undersea environment in a deep sea adventure like no other.

Find out more	For Industry	For Public	For Science	For Policy

SERPENT is a global project hosted by the DEEPSEAS group, within Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems (OBE) at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS). The project has a growing network of UK and global partners.

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2010-03-01

Giant 'Sea Serpent' Caught on Camera

King of herrings

Scientists Capture Giant 'Sea Serpent' on Camera

LSU's deep-sea studies get attention

SERPENT Project