Animal Profiles
Fish

Oarfish

Regalecidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Oarfishes are unusually long, ribbon-shaped marine fishes. This account describes the giant oarfish, whose silver body and red fin crest are more often encountered in specimens than during ordinary coastal observation.

Giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne), a museum specimen at the Natural History Museum in Vienna.

Giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne), a museum specimen at the Natural History Museum in Vienna.

Sandstein · CC BY

At a glance

Location
Regalecus glesne is the representative used here. It is oceanic and occurs across several ocean basins, including the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. Deep-water records and occasional strandings are different kinds of evidence.
Habitat
Open ocean
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Small planktonic animals provide food.

Classification

Common name
Oarfish
Browse group
Fish
Scientific name or taxon
Regalecidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Lampriformes
Family
Regalecidae
Source classification
Actinopterygii

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • It has a ribbon-like body.
  • Its dorsal fin is red.
  • Strandings provide many observations.

Habitat and range

Regalecus glesne is the representative used here. It is oceanic and occurs across several ocean basins, including the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. Deep-water records and occasional strandings are different kinds of evidence.

Appearance and adaptations

The body is very long and compressed, with a red dorsal fin running along it. Elongated rays form a crest over the head. Silver sides can carry darker streaks or spots.

Diet and behaviour

Small planktonic animals provide food. Much of the species' behaviour is difficult to observe in deep water, and stranded animals cannot by themselves show how healthy fish normally move or feed.

Sources

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