MANILA, Philippines – A carcass of a giant oarfish was found in Albay province on January 6.

Recovered on a beach in Pantao, Libon, an Albay town, it measured 4 meters and weighed 50 kilos.

A series of incredible photos capturing the oarfish uploaded on Albay Governor Joey Salcedo’s Facebook page went viral.

Its appearance on the coast of Albay bewildered beachgoers and fishermen. This fish is thought to have inspired legends of giant sea serpents.

Conservation

Regalecus glesne, known by the fanciful name of “king of herrings” or the more stoic “oarfish” was credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest bony fish ever to be recorded in the year 2015. 

According to their FLMNH Ichthyology biological profile, this elusive creature is found living at depths of 3,280 feet (1,000 m) but more typically to depths of 656 feet (200 m). 

They are not known to have any commercial value, and their meat is inedible due to its gelatinous consistency. 

Unlike other bony fish, the body of the oarfish is scaleless with the skin covered instead by a silvery coat of material called guanine.

Since their stranding is rare and they are not commonly found alive, not much is known about the giant oarfish. Their conservation status, therefore, is also unknown, according to Oceana.org. – with a report by Bea Orante/Rappler.com

Jene-Anne Pangue is a Mover who works as a medical technologist in the Divine Word Hospital in Tacloban City.