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| synonyms_ref = &nbsp;<ref>{{FishBase species|genus=Recalegus|species=glesne}}</ref>
| synonyms_ref = &nbsp;<ref>{{FishBase species|genus=Recalegus|species=glesne}}</ref>
}}
}}
The '''king of herrings''' or '''giant oarfish''' ({{zh-sp|s=皇帶魚|p= huángdài yú}}; ''Regalecus glesne''), an [[oarfish]] of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Regalecidae]], is the world's longest [[bony fish]]. Rarely sighted, it is found in all the world's oceans at depths of between 300 and 1000 meters. Most sightings have been in the north Atlantic, with most specimens found either dead or dying in shallow waters.<ref name="grtbkan">(1997).''The Great Book of Animals''. Philadelphia, PA: [[Courage Books]], [[Running Press Publishers]]. p.102. ISBN 0-7624-0137-0.</ref>
The '''king of herrings''' or '''giant oarfish''' ({{zh-sp|s=皇帶魚|p= huángdài yú}}; ''Regalecus glesne''), an [[oarfish]] of the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Regalecidae]], is the world's longest [[bony fish]]. Rarely sighted, it is found in all the world's oceans at depths of between 300 and 1000 metres. Most sightings have been in the north Atlantic, with most specimens found either dead or dying in shallow waters.<ref name="grtbkan">(1997).''The Great Book of Animals''. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Courage Books, Running Press Publishers. p.102. ISBN 0-7624-0137-0.</ref>


The king of herrings is neither a true [[herring]], nor a close relative. According to the ''Great Book of Animals'', its name comes from being sighted near shoals of herring, which fishermen thought were being guided by this fish.<ref name="grtbkan"/> It is scaleless, ribbon-shaped and silvery with a long, red dorsal fin.<ref name="grtbkan"/>
The king of herrings is neither a true [[herring]] nor a close relative. According to the ''Great Book of Animals'', its name comes from being sighted near shoals of herring, which fishermen thought were being guided by this fish.<ref name="grtbkan"/> It is scaleless, ribbon-shaped and silvery with a long, red dorsal fin.<ref name="grtbkan"/>


==Description==
==Description==
[[File:King of herrings.png|left|thumb|1895 illustration of ''Regalecus glesne''.]]
[[File:King of herrings.png|left|thumb|1895 illustration of ''Regalecus glesne''.]]
The king of herrings is the world's longest [[bony fish]].<ref>{{Cite news| title = Rare 'King of Herrings' found off Swedish coast | publisher = [[Yahoo! News]] | date = 12 May 2010 | url = http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100512/ap_on_fe_st/eu_odd_sweden_giant_herring | accessdate = 2010-05-13}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Its total length can reach 17&nbsp;m, and it can weigh up to 300&nbsp;kg. Its length (the record is {{convert|17|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}) and bizarre appearance are presumed to be responsible for some [[sea serpent]] sightings.<ref>''Encyclopedia of Fishes'', Second Edition, p 157, Paxton, et al.,(Eds), 1998, Academic Press</ref>
The king of herrings is the world's longest [[bony fish]].<ref>{{Cite news| title = Rare 'King of Herrings' found off Swedish coast | publisher = Yahoo! News | date = 12 May 2010 | url = http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100512/ap_on_fe_st/eu_odd_sweden_giant_herring | accessdate = 2010-05-13}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Its total length can reach 17&nbsp;m, and it can weigh up to 300&nbsp;kg. Its length (the record is {{convert|17|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}) and bizarre appearance are presumed to be responsible for some [[sea serpent]] sightings.<ref>''Encyclopedia of Fishes'', Second Edition, p 157, Paxton, et al.,(Eds), 1998, Academic Press</ref>


==Sightings==
==Sightings==
[[File:Mekongnaga.jpg|thumb|400px|left|[[Navy SEAL]]s display a 23 foot [[Giant Oarfish]], ''Regalecus glesne'' ([[Regalecidae]]), caught in 1996 off [[Coronado, California]]]]
[[File:Mekongnaga.jpg|thumb|400px|left|[[Navy SEAL]]s display a 23 foot [[Giant Oarfish]], ''Regalecus glesne'' ([[Regalecidae]]), caught in 1996 off [[Coronado, California]]]]
In May, 2010, a dead 3&nbsp;m specimen was found off the coast of [[Sweden]]. The last time one had been reported in Swedish waters was in 1879.<ref>{{Cite web|author=4:42 p.m. ET |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37114903/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/ |title=Fisherman's find: rare, 12-foot-long creature - Innovation- msnbc.com |publisher=MSNBC |date= |accessdate=2010-05-14}}</ref>
In May 2010, a dead 3&nbsp;m specimen was found off the coast of [[Sweden]]. The last time one had been reported in Swedish waters was in 1879.<ref>{{Cite web|author=4:42 p.m. ET |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37114903/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/ |title=Fisherman's find: rare, 12-foot-long creature |publisher=MSNBC |date= |accessdate=2010-05-14}}</ref>


On December 10, 2010, a live specimen of four meters was found on the south coast of [[Sinaloa]] state in [[Mexico]]. One of the fisherman who captured it said it might be the "Devil" and feared it might swallow them.<ref>Capturan en Teacapán raro pez http://noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=643722</ref>
On December 10 2010, a live specimen of four metres was found on the south coast of [[Sinaloa]] state in [[Mexico]]. One of the fisherman who captured it said it might be the "Devil" and feared it might swallow them.<ref>[http://noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=643722 Capturan en Teacapán raro pez]</ref>


On April 6, 2011, a live specimen (3.5m) was found off the east coast of [[Taiwan]], nearly a month after the devastating [[Sendai earthquake|tsunami]] hit Japan in March. Taiwanese fishermen believed that the giant oarfish surfaced to the shallow water because of the earthquake in [[Japan]]. They gave the giant oarfish a nickname, "Earthquake Fish".<ref>http://www.ttv.com.tw/100/04/1000407/10004074596901I.htm</ref>
On April 6 2011, a live specimen measuring 3.5 m was found off the east coast of [[Taiwan]], nearly a month after the devastating [[Sendai earthquake|tsunami]] hit Japan in March. Taiwanese fishermen believed that the giant oarfish surfaced to the shallow water because of the earthquake in [[Japan]]. They gave the giant oarfish a nickname, "Earthquake Fish".<ref>[http://www.ttv.com.tw/100/04/1000407/10004074596901I.htm]</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{wikispecies|Regalecus glesne}}
{{wikispecies|Regalecus glesne}}
{{Commons category|Regalecus glesne}}
{{Commons category|Regalecus glesne}}
*[http://fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3267&lang=English ''Regalecus glesne''] at [[FishBase]]
*[http://fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3267&lang=English ''Regalecus glesne''] at FishBase
*{{eol|225594}}
*{{eol|225594}}
*[http://animalpicturesarchive.com/ArchOLD-4/1127460649.jpg ''Magazine picture'']
*[http://animalpicturesarchive.com/ArchOLD-4/1127460649.jpg ''Magazine picture'']

Revision as of 06:29, 22 April 2011

King of Herrings
Taxidermied specimen of Regalecus glesne in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Lampriformes
Family:
Regalecidae
Genus:
Regalecus
Species:
R. glesne
Binomial name
Regalecus glesne
Ascanius, 1772
Synonyms [1]
  • Cephalepis octomaculatus Rafinesque, 1810
  • Cepola gladius Walbaum, 1792
  • Gymnetrus ascanii Shaw, 1803
  • Gymnetrus banksii Valenciennes, 1835
  • Gymnetrus capensis Valenciennes, 1835
  • Gymnetrus gladius Valenciennes, 1835
  • Gymnetrus grillii Lindroth, 1798
  • Gymnetrus hawkenii Bloch, 1795
  • Gymnetrus longiradiatus Risso, 1820
  • Gymnetrus telum Valenciennes, 1835
  • Regalecus banksii (Valenciennes, 1835)
  • Regalecus caudatus Zugmayer, 1914
  • Regalecus jonesii Newman, 1860
  • Regalecus masterii De Vis, 1891
  • Regalecus pacificus Haast, 1878
  • Regalecus remipes Brünnich, 1788

The king of herrings or giant oarfish (Chinese: 皇帶魚; pinyin: huángdài yú; Regalecus glesne), an oarfish of the family Regalecidae, is the world's longest bony fish. Rarely sighted, it is found in all the world's oceans at depths of between 300 and 1000 metres. Most sightings have been in the north Atlantic, with most specimens found either dead or dying in shallow waters.[2]

The king of herrings is neither a true herring nor a close relative. According to the Great Book of Animals, its name comes from being sighted near shoals of herring, which fishermen thought were being guided by this fish.[2] It is scaleless, ribbon-shaped and silvery with a long, red dorsal fin.[2]

Description

1895 illustration of Regalecus glesne.

The king of herrings is the world's longest bony fish.[3] Its total length can reach 17 m, and it can weigh up to 300 kg. Its length (the record is 17 m (56 ft)) and bizarre appearance are presumed to be responsible for some sea serpent sightings.[4]

Sightings

Navy SEALs display a 23 foot Giant Oarfish, Regalecus glesne (Regalecidae), caught in 1996 off Coronado, California

In May 2010, a dead 3 m specimen was found off the coast of Sweden. The last time one had been reported in Swedish waters was in 1879.[5]

On December 10 2010, a live specimen of four metres was found on the south coast of Sinaloa state in Mexico. One of the fisherman who captured it said it might be the "Devil" and feared it might swallow them.[6]

On April 6 2011, a live specimen measuring 3.5 m was found off the east coast of Taiwan, nearly a month after the devastating tsunami hit Japan in March. Taiwanese fishermen believed that the giant oarfish surfaced to the shallow water because of the earthquake in Japan. They gave the giant oarfish a nickname, "Earthquake Fish".[7]

References

  1. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Recalegus glesne". FishBase.
  2. ^ a b c (1997).The Great Book of Animals. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Courage Books, Running Press Publishers. p.102. ISBN 0-7624-0137-0.
  3. ^ "Rare 'King of Herrings' found off Swedish coast". Yahoo! News. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2010. [dead link‍]
  4. ^ Encyclopedia of Fishes, Second Edition, p 157, Paxton, et al.,(Eds), 1998, Academic Press
  5. ^ 4:42 p.m. ET. "Fisherman's find: rare, 12-foot-long creature". MSNBC. Retrieved 14 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Capturan en Teacapán raro pez
  7. ^ [1]

Further reading

Regalecus juvenile
  • Glover, C.J.M. in Gomon, M.F, J.C.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  • Olney, J.E. Ii Paxton, J.R. & W.N. Eschmeyer (Eds). 1994. Encyclopedia of Fishes. Sydney: New South Wales University Press; San Diego: Academic Press [1995]. Pp. 240.
  • Bourton, J. Giant bizarre deep sea fish filmed in Gulf of Mexico BBC News 8 February 2010.
Wikispecies has information related to Regalecus glesne.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Regalecus glesne.

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