It’s not every day that a creature straight out of a deep-sea nightmare washes up on the beach — but that’s exactly what happened recently on the Oregon coast.
According to the team at Seaside Aquarium, a rare and intimidating deep-sea predator, commonly referred to as a "Twilight Zone" fish, mysteriously appeared on shore, sparking both excitement and curiosity among marine enthusiasts.
The fish, later identified as a longnose lancetfish, is not only rarely seen near the Oregon coast but is also notable for its razor-sharp, fang-like teeth and serpentine body. Although the aquarium staff were familiar with the species, sightings this far north — and in such excellent condition — are highly uncommon.
A Shocking Discovery
The story began when a visitor walked into the aquarium’s gift shop holding a photo of the strange carcass he’d found along the shore. He hoped the experts could help identify it.
“When he showed us the picture, it was such a fresh, great specimen that we were like, ‘Sweet, we’re gonna go pick it up,’” said Tiffany Boothe, assistant manager at Seaside Aquarium.
The fish, which measured about five feet in length, had washed ashore in remarkable shape — a rarity, Boothe noted, as most lancetfish are badly decomposed by the time they’re found.
“We see maybe half a dozen in our area each year,” she added. “It’s not the kind of fish you’d want to meet alive — I definitely wouldn’t touch it.”
A Deep-Sea Predator from the "Twilight Zone"
The longnose lancetfish can grow to a whopping seven feet
Lancetfish usually swim at extreme depths, often more than a mile beneath the ocean’s surface. They favor warmer waters, but migrations as far north as the Bering Sea have been documented, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
One unusual trait of the species is its gelatinous flesh, which Boothe said local seagulls go wild for. But the real scientific goldmine lies inside the fish — its unusually slow digestion offers a rare look into the deep-sea food chain.
Once the aquarium team recovered the specimen, they immediately examined its stomach contents — and what they found was remarkable.
Inside were several squid and octopus remains, along with at least three whole fish — providing a snapshot of the predator’s most recent meals.
A Glimpse into a Hidden Ecosystem
The longnose lancetfish, which can grow up to seven feet long and weigh around 20 pounds, is a predator shrouded in mystery. It’s rarely observed in the wild, and its habits are still being studied.
In a Facebook post, the Seaside Aquarium team described the fish as “barracuda-like,” adding:
“Its beautiful large eyes, sharp fang-like teeth, and snake-like body set it apart from other fish in the Pacific Northwest. While little is known about the longnose lancetfish, we know they inhabit waters from the southern Bering Sea to Chile, ranging from the surface down to depths of 6,000 feet.”
Their diet is as diverse as it is gruesome — studies have shown that they feed on over 90 species of marine life, including other lancetfish, and even plastic waste.
“By studying what lancetfish eat, scientists can track how the ocean food web is evolving — particularly in response to events like El Niño and La Niña,” the aquarium noted.
From the Depths to the Shore
Because of their habitat in the ocean’s mesopelagic zone — commonly called the “Twilight Zone” — lancetfish are rarely encountered by humans. The fish’s scientific name, Alepisaurus, meaning “scaleless lizard,” only adds to its prehistoric mystique.
While unsettling to look at, the lancetfish provides a rare and valuable glimpse into one of Earth’s least-explored frontiers — and a stark reminder of the fragile balance in our oceans.
