Sometimes, the ocean is a strange place. Most of the time you have to journey out into the great blue yonder to find something odd, but some oddities come to you. Beachgoers got a surprise when a giant fish, the size of a dining room table, washed to shore. The gray blob of a fish is a sunfish.
Taking to Facebook, Seaside Aquarium explained about the fish. The fish was larger than many people at 7.3 feet. It washed to shore in Oregon. They wrote, "You've heard of an ocean sunfish, but have you heard of the hoodwinker sunfish? On June 3rd a 7.3-foot (221cm) hoodwinker sunfish washed ashore on Gearhart beach, just north of Seaside, Oregon. Initially, this large, strange-looking fish was creating quite a stir on social media, and though it was stormy folks were flocking to the beach to see this unusual fish."
A researcher actually realized it was a new species called hoodwinker sunfisher.
The organization continued, "Dubbed a new species hiding in plain sight, it was genetic sampling and eventual observation that contributed to its finding. Originally thought to only occupy the temperate waters of the southern hemisphere, that theory would be challenged as a few have recently washed ashore in California and one as far north as Alaska. This fish, hiding in plain sight, has most likely been seen/washed ashore in the Pacific Northwest before but was mistaken for the more common, Mola mola. Marianne Nyegaard reached out to the Seaside Aquarium to see if they would be willing to take samples for genetics. Staff quickly responded, took more photographs, measurements, and tissue samples."
Rare Fish Is Very Large
They were able to confirm that it was indeed a hoodwinker. It may be the larger fish of that species they've ever discovered. The organization continued, "This fish is still on Gearhart beach and will probably remain for a few more days, maybe weeks as their tough skin makes it hard for scavengers to puncture. It is a remarkable fish and the aquarium encourages people to go see it for themselves."
In response to the fish, several shared their thoughts. One wrote, "What a cool fish, to bad it had to die but thanks for all the great info super fascinating." Another wrote, "Only a mother could love that face!"
