Rare deep-sea discovery! 🌊 A massive 12.25 ft, 74.3 lb short-crested oarfish was found at La Jolla Cove on Aug 10, creating quite the buzz. Scientists from scripps_ocean, csufofficial, and noaafisheries performed a necropsy to investigate, though the cause of death remains unknown. Scientists speculate that it could have washed up due to injury, illness, or disorientation. 🐟 Samples from this rare find will contribute to the first chromosome-level genome for oarfish, offering new insights into how these deep-sea creatures thrive. Following the examination, the fish is being preserved and is now part of the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps, which houses one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world. 🔬 Link in bio to learn more. 📷: UC San Diego and Michael Wang #DeepSea #Oceanography #SanDiego #LaJolla #UCSanDiego #UCSD