Today, science knows of more than 30,000 species of fish, and this number is growing every year. Many fish species lead a reclusive lifestyle, spending all their time in the dark depths of the oceans. Among them, there is one special fish that is considered a harbinger of earthquakes. According to legend, the herring fish (Regalecus glesne) floats to the surface of the water a few days before catastrophic events. For many years, scientists did not believe that the behavior of these creatures could be used to predict earthquakes. But just a few years ago, herring fish were actually spotted on the surface before devastating earthquakes. So what does this mean, can they really warn us of danger?
According to legends, the Doomsday fish can predict earthquakes. Photo: travelask.ru
Contents
- 1 What does the herring king fish look like?
- 2 Where does the herring king live?
- 3 Photos of the herring king?
- 4 The herring king is a harbinger of earthquakes?
- 5 How earthquakes are predicted?
What does the herring king fish look like?
The oarfish is one of the most mysterious fish on Earth. This creature is also known as the oarfish or the oarfish. This fish was first scientifically described in 1772 by Norwegian zoologist Peter Ascanius.
The appearance of the herring king. Photo: fishmanual.ru
This fish has a long, ribbon-like body. Its body length can be 5.5 meters, and its body weight can reach 250 kilograms. Despite its impressive size, the herring king does not look menacing: it has a small head, a mouth with a vertical slit and a long, almost transparent dorsal fin that starts in the head area and extends to the tail.
The Herring King can grow to enormous sizes. Photo: interest-planet.ru
Where does the Herring King live
The Herring King's Habitat— temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. It prefers to stay at a depth of 200 to 1000 meters below the surface of the water, where sunlight does not penetrate. Sometimes they float to the surface and, according to ancient legends, thereby warn people of an imminent earthquake.
The herring king floats to the surface only in very rare cases. Photo: fishmanual.ru
It is worth noting that this fish got its name from Norwegian fishermen who often saw it near schools of herring. They are not dangerous to humans and feed on small plankton, filtering the water. Anyone can put a finger or even a hand in the mouth of this fish, and there will not be a single scratch on it, because the teeth of the herring king are very small.
Related article: The deep oceans are home to the blackest fish on earth, which absorb light
Photos of the herring king
There are many pictures on the Internet that show the herring kings in all their glory. Here are some of the most interesting ones, in our opinion.
Would you have thought that such fish exist in the world? Photo: aif.ru
The herring king has something resembling a crown on his head. Photo: fishki.net
The Herring King on the beach. Photo: nationalgeographic.com
Fishing for the herring king. Image: fishki.net
Despite their scary appearance, these fish are completely harmless to people. Photo: zooblog.ru
The Herring King is a Harbinger of Earthquakes
The king of oars is surrounded by many legends, especially in Japanese culture. According to ancient myths, this fish was called “Ryugu no tsukai”, which can be translated as “messenger from the palace of the sea dragon god”. It was believed that when the king of oars floated to the surface, it thereby foretells an earthquake.
Particular attention to this myth arose in 2011, when about 20 king of oars washed up on the shores of Japan. A few months after this event, the country experienced the most powerful earthquake in modern history.
The Aftermath of the 2011 Earthquake in Japan. Photo: in-space.ru
Let us recall that on March 11, 2011, Japan experienced an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0–9.1. The tremors caused a giant tsunami with waves up to 40 meters high, which claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people. Following the tremors, an accident occurred at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, where a power outage and a failure of the cooling system caused the reactors to melt down, which led to a series of explosions and large-scale environmental pollution.
The 2011 earthquake claimed a huge number of lives. Photo: scientificrussia.ru
Also in 2024, news appeared that the “Doomsday fish” allegedly predicted a magnitude 4.4 earthquake in Los Angeles.
Doomsday Fish Caught in California. Source: livescience.com
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How Earthquakes Are Predicted
While these coincidences have sparked a wave of discussion and reminders of ancient legends, scientists have begun to assure everyone that the connection between the appearance of these fish and seismic activity is not confirmed by scientific data. Research shows that such occurrences are most likely coincidental.
There are many ways to predict an earthquake with varying accuracy. Image: nasa.gov
Despite the existence of interesting legends, you should not rely on the behavior of fish to predict earthquakes. Today, there are many scientific methods that help predict earthquakes with greater accuracy. For example, scientists study foreshocks – weak tremors that precede the main earthquake, and also monitor changes in the atmosphere and groundwater levels.
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Want to learn more about all this? Be sure to check out our article “How to Predict an Earthquake and What to Do When It Starts.”