Another deep-sea creature has made an unexpected appearance on a Carlsbad beach. Jordan Coronel, fishing at South Ponto State Beach on Wednesday, discovered a toothy, black fish with a distinctive antenna-like appendage washed ashore. Initially mistaking it for a jellyfish, Coronel quickly realized the strange find was something much more unusual. Coronel told NBC:
At first, its round, gelatinous body made me think it was some kind of jellyfish. But when I got a closer look, I noticed its large, wide mouth filled with sharp, jagged teeth and an antenna-like structure on its head.
After connecting with the marine biology community online, Coronel contacted Ben Frable, manager of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Marine Vertebrate Collection. Frable identified the creature as a Pacific footballfish, a rare deep-sea anglerfish. While rare, this isn’t the first such discovery in recent years. Frable noted that around seven have washed ashore on the West Coast since 2021, including three in San Diego County.
These anglerfish typically inhabit the extreme depths of the ocean, 1,000 to 4,000 feet below the surface. Known for their large mouths, sharp teeth, bioluminescent lures, and dark pigmentation, they are well-adapted to the harsh conditions of their deep-sea habitat. Scientists are still investigating why these creatures are appearing on shore with increasing frequency, speculating that it could be related to their life cycle or changing environmental conditions.
Frable praised Coronel’s quick thinking in contacting experts, which allowed for the preservation of the specimen for research. He encouraged the public to report unusual beach discoveries to lifeguards, who can then contact Scripps, California Fish and Wildlife, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Scripps collection, dating back to the 1880s, now includes this latest deep-sea arrival, adding to its impressive archive of marine life. The public can also report findings directly to Scripps via email ([email address removed]) or social media.
