A paddle fish approximately 3 meters long was found dead this Wednesday on Tonsupa beach, in the Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas.
It is the first time so far this year that fishermen have caught or found this giant fish on the Ecuadorian coast, which according to a Japanese legend heralds earthquakes and other natural disasters.
The oarfish or giant sablefish, also called the king herring, is a species of lampridiforme fish in the family regalecidae. It has a cosmopolitan distribution in all oceans except the polar regions.
In general, he swims to a depth of 1000 meters. In addition, it is considered one of the longest bony fish, reaching 11 meters in length.
The Japanese Legend of the Oarfish
This sea creature is known in Japanese culture as ‘Ryugu no tsukai’, which can be translated as ‘messenger from the sea god’s palace’ It is related to the legend of Namazu, a huge catfish or sea serpent that lived in lakes in the Japan and triggered strong earthquakes and tsunamis as it emerged from its lair.
Due to its great size and weight, with its movements it caused these disasters.
Namazu in legend has a guardian kami Kashima who keeps him immobilized with a large sacred rock called Kaname-Ishi. But when Kashima was careless, Namazu moved causing the strongest earthquakes.
Today, some superstitious people still believe that this fish predicts the arrival of disasters when it is seen outside its usual place, either on the surface of the sea or on the beach.
The scientific explanation of its relation to disasters
One of the explanations is that the oarfish lives in the depths and when it is seen on the surface, it means that some strange movement is coming.
These deep-sea fish are more sensitive to active fault movement than those closer to the sea surface. This would make them emerge when they detect strange movements, which alter their behavior.
#WARNING #Emeralds #amazing
Oarfish was found on Tonsupa beach in Atacames. This raises alarm in the citizens of Esmeraldeña, as it is believed that this type of fish warns of the arrival of natural phenomena. pic.twitter.com/8JNNJ1fkwW— MERIDIAN TV ZAPOTAL (@ZapotaltvE) January 26, 2023
omens fulfilled
In July 2022, a nearly 6-meter specimen of paddlefish caught off the coast of Arica, Chile, appeared. Almost 24 hours later, a massive earthquake occurred.
As reported by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic System of the Chilean Navy (SHOA), the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 degrees and was recorded at 3:17 pm local time.
In July 2020, they found one in Alaska, where a 7.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded a few days later. Meanwhile, in June of the same year, in Mexico, an earthquake measuring 7.5 degrees was recorded 10 days after the appearance of the strange animal.