Scientists have caught on film what is believed to be the world's first sighting of the backwards-swimming, giant "serpent" oarfish alive in its natural habitat.
The glowing, metallic-coloured fish can grow up to 17m-long and has only ever been seen dying on the sea surface or dead washed ashore, the BBC reports.
But it has now been filmed by scientists working on the Serpent survey — a project between marine companies and oil giants BP, Shell and Chevron based in the Gulf of Mexico.
Professor Mark Benfield said the team, who were using remotely operated vehicles when they saw the fish, at first thought the creature was a drilling pipe being lowered into the water.
"We saw this bright vertical shiny thing, I said 'are they lowering more riser?' as it looked like they were lowering a huge pipe," Professor Bensfield was quoted as saying.
"We zoomed in a little bit and we said 'that's not a riser that's a fish!'"
Professor Bensfield said the fish moved by rolling its dorsal fin "in waves that propelled it backwards at quite a good speed".
It could be the first time the fish has been filmed alive in the mesopelagic layer of the ocean, which extends from 200m-1km below the surface, he said.
The fish is estimated to have been between 5m and 10m long.
Front page
RSS Feed