Huge sunfish found on Oregon beach turns out to be newly discovered species

A monster fish that looks more like a stranded UFO than a creature of the world has washed up on a beach in the US state of Oregon.

The 2.2 meter (7.3 foot) creature appeared on the shores of the town of Gearhart last Monday (June 3), leaving onlookers both fascinated and perplexed.

“Initially, this large, strange-looking fish caused a lot of buzz on social media, and even though the storm was stormy, people flocked to the beach to see this unusual fish,” Seaside Aquarium in Gearhart wrote in a message on Facebook.

News of this extraordinary discovery quickly traveled around the world, reaching New Zealand where researcher Marianne Nyegaard quickly identified the UBO (unidentified beach object).

Nyegaard contacted the Seaside Aquarium to confirm it was a deceptive sunfish – rarer than the more common ocean sunfish – adding that she believed it was the “largest specimen ever sampled.”

And, to be honest, she would know, being the woman who discovered the species in the first place.

Photos of the beast reveal its immense size(Seaside Aquarium)

In 2017, Nyegaard discovered through genetic sampling and observation that the deceptive sunfish – also known as Mola tecta – was a different species from the ocean sunfish, a.k.a. Mola-mola.

“Tecta” means hidden or disguised in Latin, so the name is a nod to the new species that was “hiding in plain sight,” according to the aquarium.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the deceptive sunfish can grow up to 7.9 feet long and is smaller than other members of the sunfish family, which can exceed 10 feet.

They were initially thought to only inhabit the southern hemisphere, but have recently washed up on Pacific Ocean beaches in the United States.

Monterey Bay divers photographed two tricked sunfish in 2019. It was one of the first confirmed sightings of the new species in Central California, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Another deceptive sunfish was recently discovered in Alaska, once again calling into question the theory that it only lives in the southern hemisphere.

It could take weeks before the fish is finally disposed of(Seaside Aquarium)

The Oregon fish has already been stuck in its resting place on Gearhart Beach for a week, but experts say it could stay there much longer.

Indeed, it is difficult for scavengers to pierce its hard skin and therefore get rid of its remains.

Yet as unappealing as it may seem to visit a rotting carcass, the Seaside Aquarium remains enthusiastic.

“It’s a remarkable fish,” its representatives said. “And the aquarium encourages people to go see it for themselves.”

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