We’ve seen a bunch [where bunch = 2] of news about dead oarfish lately, so I wanted to show you what a living one looks like. This past March, LSU scientist Mark Benfield released a video showing a live oarfish in its habitat, which is apparently underwater and NOT on a beach or in iced-filled trough.
The awesomely named Serpent Project — a painfully labored acronym “Scientific and Environmental ROV Partnership using Existing iNdustrial Technology” lets scientists use ROVs run by oil and gas companies in the gulf. The fossil fuel industry in the Gulf of Mexico didn’t quite have the best spring and summer, evah!, so it is understandable that this didn’t get much press. Also, its about a long, disgusting fish monster.
Still, someone took Dr. Mark’s video and set it to Holst’s Neptune the Mystic, which is as appropriate as it is satisfying.
These guys can grow up to 56 feet long, which is frighteningly impressive.
Also, Dr. Mark also captured footage of a ginormous pulsating jellyfish that ought to put the fear of Cthulhu into you, if nothing else does. Next post.