Deep-sea anglerfish washes up on Oregon beach: photos

A rarely seen deep-sea anglerfish has been discovered on an Oregon beach, experts reported.

Known as a footballfish, the body of the bizarre creature was found by beachcombers just south of Cannon Beach, the Seaside Aquarium said in a Saturday, May 18, Facebook post.

It may be the first such discovery in Oregon, the aquarium said. Only 31 encounters with the unusual fish have been recorded in the world.

Others have been found in New Zealand, Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Ecuador, Chile and California.

The fish live in complete darkness up to 3,300 feet below the ocean’s surface, the aquarium said. They use a phosphorescent bulb on their forehead to attract prey.

“Food at the depths that these guys peruse can be very sparse, so football fish are not picky eaters,” the aquarium said. “They eat anything that can fit into their mouths.”

Glowing bacteria in the bulb create the anglerfish’s light, Oceana said. It can cover or reveal the light with a muscular flap of skin.

Only female anglerfish hunt, the site said. Male anglerfish, which are only an inch long, bite onto females to fertilize their eggs.

It’s not known how many anglerfish exist in the deep ocean, but experts believe they are probably rare.

Cannon Beach is about an 80-mile drive northwest of Portland.