Why Did the Pacific Footballfish Wash Up On the Shore? The remains of the Pacific footballfish that washed up n the Crystal Cove State Park beach are now in the custody of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. It extends in front of their mouths with a light bulb that they use to glow in the dark and catch their unsuspecting prey. This fish has a long dorsal fish called an illicium that is only found in females. Seeing them on the shore is an extremely rare event.Īccording to CBS Los Angeles, this species may have served as the inspiration for the deep-sea fish that mesmerized Dory and Marlin of the animated film 'Finding Nemo' when they happen to reach the depths of the ocean while on the journey to search for Marlin's son. The sea creature commonly found at the depths of the ocean, about 3,000 feet below the surface, is one of more than 300 living species of anglerfish in the world. The 18-inch anglerfish identified as Pacific footballfish might look familiar to many people, especially those who grew up watching Pixar's animated films. Inspiration For the Animated Film 'Finding Nemo' The boating company wrote on Facebook: 'though the fish itself is not rare, it is extremely rare to see on this intact along a beach in southern CA.'ĪLSO READ: Female Anglerfish Absorbs Males During Mating The next day, boating company Davey's Locker Sportfishing & Whale Watching shared some of the photos of the creature which they identified at a Pacific footballfish that measures around 18 inches.

Metro reported that a beachgoer named Ben Estes, was walking along the shore in Newport Beach in Orange County last Friday, May 7, when he spotted the strange-looking, big, rod-shaped, and dark-colored fish laying in the sand at Crystal Cove State Park.Įstes immediately reported what he saw to park rangers and lifeguards on duty. USA Today notes that the fish is currently in custody of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.Circa 1900: A specimen of an Anglerfish, a common name for any of about 265 related saltwater fishes that have appendages resembling fishing rods or lures with which they entice their prey (Photo by Reinhold Thiele/Thiele/Getty Images) Deep-Sea Pacific Footballfish Washed Up On Crystal Cove Beach Residing in ocean waters as deep as 3,000 feet, her light attracts prey in the dark, murky waters of her home. The female Pacific Football Fish is one of about 1,500 bioluminescent fish, meaning she is able to emit light. Males latch onto the female with their teeth and become 'sexual parasites,' eventually coalescing with the female until nothing is left of their form but their testes for reproduction.' While females can reach lengths of 24 inches, males only grow to be about an inch long and their sole purpose is to find a female and help her reproduce. The representatives described some of the outstanding features of the rarely-seen animal in a Facebook post, saying, 'Their teeth, like pointed shards of glass, are transparent and their large mouth is capable of sucking up and swallowing prey the size of their own body. State Park representatives said it's pretty rare to find an angler fish intact, and they aren't quite sure how the fish washed ashore. Unique in appearance, the Pacific Football Fish was quickly spotted by a beachgoer who reported it to officials. Representatives with Crystal Cove State Park Pacific say a type of Angler Fish called a Pacific Football Fish washed up on the shores of Newport Beach, about 60 miles south of Santa Monica. CRYSTAL COVE, California - A rarely-seen fish that lives thousands of feet deep in the ocean somehow managed to wash up on the shore of a California Beach on Friday, CNN reports.

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