Birch Aquarium Unveils Oarfish Exhibition

Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is excited to unveil "Oarfish: Recent Discoveries from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Collection" — a new limited-time immersive exhibition that invites guests into the mysterious world of these legendary deep-sea animals, featuring a rare preserved Short-crested Oarfish specimen discovered on Grandview Beach near Leucadia, California last November.

Observing nature, including through the behavior of animals, is a way that humans have historically sought to understand and attempt to predict the natural world. Oarfish often feature in folklore as “messengers,” warning humans of earthquakes, diseases and other phenomena. The exhibit brings together the folk history of the Short-crested Oarfish with the Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps, which is home to one of the largest collections of deep-sea fish in the world. Guests are invited to experience these rare fish up-close in the setting of an “underwater palace” that asks us to examine our connections to the natural world and how we navigate unpredictable events in it.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps | Photo: Jordann Tomasek

“Oarfish are rarely encountered here in California, making it remarkable that we recovered, studied, and preserved two of them last year,” said Ben Frable Senior Collection Manager of Marine Vertebrates at Scripps. “Each new specimen deepens our understanding of this enigmatic fish. With their long, silver bodies and striking red fins, emerging from the vast ocean, oarfish have long fueled human imagination. I hope that seeing these specimens in person fosters a deeper appreciation for them—not as mythical creatures, but as remarkable living beings that share our world.”

Birch Aquarium at Scripps | Photo: Jordann Tomasek

Oarfish and Ribbonfish

Short-crested Oarfish are found in warm seas worldwide, though sighted only rarely when found near the ocean’s surface. They are scaleless and have silvery heads and bodies with distinctive red fins including a prominent crest on the top of the head—their elongated, smooth shape is why they are thought to be attributed to stories of “sea serpent” sightings. Their prey includes krill and small fishes.

In addition to the Short-cested Oarfish, Oarfish: Recent Discoveries from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Collection also features a preserved ribbonfish, a King-of-the-Salmon, also from the Marine Vertebrate Collection. These fish are silvery with elongated bodies and distinctive ribbon-like dorsal fins. Like the Short-crested Oarfish, King-of-the-Salmon appear in folklore surrounding natural events, particularly the annual salmon migration that gives them their common name.

Guests can experience the "Oarfish" exhibit now and through the summer.

The exhibit is included with General Admission. Prices and hours vary. Advanced reservations recommended.

Visit aquarium.ucsd.edu for more information including the Daily Schedule.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps | Photo: Jordann Tomasek

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