Extremely rare "doomsday fish" found off Southern California coast

Kayakers and snorkelers exploring the Southern California coast spotted an extremely rare oarfish, nicknamed a "doomsday fish" since they are seen in some parts of the world as harbingers of imminent disasters. It's one of less than two dozen confirmed sightings of an oarfish in the state in over 120 years, according to UC  San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 

The oarfish is a "strikingly large, odd-looking fish" with a long, silvery, ribbon-shaped body, according to the Ocean Conservatory. The fish can grow to more than 30 feet long, and have large eyes and "foreboding" red spines in a crown-like cluster. Typically, these fish are deep-sea dwellers and thrive in waters that are the least explored by scientists. 

The fish spotted by oceangoers on August 10 was 12 feet long, according to the institution. The fish had already died at the time of the discovery, and was found near the shores of La Jolla Cove. Because the fish usually reside in the deep ocean, they are only spotted close to the surface if they are sick, dying or disoriented, according to the conservatory.