Whidbey Island beachgoer finds rare lancetfish washed ashore at West Beach

Mia Gehrmann found a dead fish at West Beach on North Whidbey on June 24 that turned out to be a lancetfish, a deep-sea species with a shiny body, pointed head and rows of sharp teeth. After Gehrmann posted a photo on Facebook, several commenters correctly identified it before Adam Summers, a University of Washington biology professor, confirmed it was a "pretty fresh" lancetfish.

Summers called it a "great looking fish" with a "wonderful skull full of pointy teeth." Lancetfish feed on other fish and invertebrates, and larger animals such as sharks, tuna, fur seals and even other lancetfish eat them.

The species usually lives far below the surface, more than a mile down, and it is among the largest deep-sea fish, growing to more than 7 feet long. It mainly inhabits tropical and subtropical waters, but it can migrate far north into subarctic areas, including Alaska's Bering Sea. NOAA groundfish surveys since 1982 have found just two lancetfish in the Gulf of Alaska, four near the Aleutian Islands and 10 in the Eastern Bering Sea, underscoring how uncommon they are in northern waters.

Lancetfish are hermaphrodites, with both male and female sex organs, and their genus name, Alepisaurus, means "scaleless lizard." They have smooth skin and pores along the lateral line, and their flesh is watery and gelatinous, making them generally unappetizing to people.

Summers said there was nothing alarming about one washing ashore on Whidbey. Fish that enter shallow water can become disoriented by sloping bottoms, strong currents and changing tides, which can leave them stranded on beaches like West Beach.

If you spot an unusual marine animal, photograph it, note the exact beach, date and time, and avoid moving it. Report sick, injured or dead wildlife to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and if there is any sign of an oil spill or pollution release, call the state spill line at 1-800-OILS-911.