The discovery of scalpel fish along the Oregon coast has drawn the attention of scientists and local officials. Oregon State Parks shared on social networks this week several sightings of Alepisaurus ferox, commonly called long-nosed scalpel fish or long-nosed sandeels, a species that has appeared on the state’s beaches in recent weeks and is noteworthy for its rarity.
These sightings highlight a rare event: a group of ground-dwelling scalpel fish with distinctive large eyes and dagger-like teeth, observed along a coastline spanning roughly 290 kilometers.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), scalpel fish inhabit tropical and subtropical waters at depths between 200 and 1,000 meters. They are known to migrate northward as far as the Bering Sea in search of food. Individuals can exceed two meters in length, and they are characterized by a sail-shaped fin that runs nearly the length of their bodies. They lack scales, possess pores along their lateral lines, and their musculature has a gelatinous texture.
They are also known as beaked sandeels or scalpelfish and are sometimes referred to as a “cannibal fish” because they may prey on young individuals. Their diet typically includes crustaceans, cephalopods, tunicates, and other fishes.
Possible reasons for their arrival ashore
Authorities have acknowledged the surprises that these strandings present. Oregon State Parks officials noted on their social media profiles that landings in Oregon and elsewhere are not common or regular, a sentiment echoed by NOAA biologist Daniel J. Kamikawa when discussing the sightings with Live Science.
Kamikawa outlined several hypotheses that researchers consider when evaluating strandings. Potential explanations include disease effects, storm-driven stranding, and a phenomenon sometimes described as heat shock.
Heat shock occurs when a fish is suddenly exposed to a colder water temperature outside its typical range. This abrupt change can induce shock and increase the likelihood of mortality, though all such theories remain unproven at this stage. The biology of beaked sandeels still holds many unknowns, even as they are recognized as hermaphroditic at least during early life stages, possessing both male and female reproductive organs.
The full life cycle and behavior of these creatures continue to be subjects of ongoing research and observation, with scientists aiming to understand their distribution, reproductive strategies, and ecological role in marine ecosystems.
Studies and field observations contribute to a growing, careful picture of scalpel fish, an unusual presence on North American shores that invites curiosity about ocean currents, climate variability, and the broader health of coastal habitats.
For more detailed information and ongoing updates, researchers stress the importance of reporting unusual sightings to coastal environmental authorities and NOAA affiliations.