Tasmania has just recorded two sightings of the elusive Oarfish — the world’s largest bony fish and the creature behind countless sea-serpent legends.

Ribbon-like and reaching up to 8 metres long (and 300 kg!), oarfish are usually found in the mesopelagic zone 150 metres or more below the surface. With their bright red crest and sinuous bodies, it’s easy to see why early sailors thought they were mythical beasts. They even have a protrusible jaw that lets them vacuum up huge amounts of zooplankton like krill.

Even more extraordinary: oarfish are the only known fish that can shed their tails when needed — a biological trick called autotomy that helps them grow to such enormous sizes.

🎙️ ABC’s Joel Rheinberger spoke with Dr Barrett Wolfe, Redmap’s National Coordinator, about these rare Tasmanian sightings and what they might mean. Listen here: (ABC Hobart Your Afternoon). 

For over a decade, Redmap has been tracking unusual and out-of-range marine species reported by everyday ocean users. These citizen science observations help experts detect early signs of environmental change, with every record verified by taxonomic specialists before being shared on our platforms.

Check out some previous Redmap sighitngs of oarfish here: 

https://www.redmap.org.au/region/wa/sightings/2809/

https://www.redmap.org.au/sightings/3783/

https://www.redmap.org.au/sightings/2586/

https://www.redmap.org.au/region/tas/sightings/3786/

 

Have you seen something unusual in the water?
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