By KAZUHIKO OKADA/ Staff Writer
December 22, 2019 at 12:50 JST
NUMAZU, Shizuoka Prefecture--Although mature specimens are rarely seen, the young of two rare deep-sea fish species were spotted floating in waters off the coast here on Dec. 21.
Photographer Kazushige Horiguchi captured video of juvenile oarfish and polka-dot ribbonfish, which measured 5 centimeters and 8 cm, respectively.
Horiguchi, 33, of Nishi-Izu in the prefecture, encountered and shot video of the two creatures when he dived in the sea off Osezaki point in the city.
As mature oarfish and polka-dot ribbonfish inhabit deep ocean waters, it is rare for humans to catch a glimpse of them.
Although their young are believed to remain in waters near the surface for a time right after hatching, feeding on plankton, details of their life cycle largely are unknown.
According to a Japanese legend, the oarfish is a messenger from the sea god's palace and its appearance foretells either a great catch--or an earthquake.
Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
The young of oarfish float in waters near the surface off Osezaki point of Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Dec. 21. (Provided by Kazushige Horiguchi)
