A special in Zumaia waters

2008/05/12 Lakar Iraizoz, Oihane - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Zoologia

The species Alepisaurus ferox at the beginning of the month was captured on the beach of Itzurun in Zumaia. It was a metre and a half in length, without scales, with a fin on the back almost equal to the length of the body, with large mouth and very long tusks.

It lives mainly in tropical and subtropical waters, where it reproduces and grows immature. Adult specimens, for their part, will feed in the vicinity of the Arctic, such as Iceland or Greenland. Eat other fish, cephalopods, tuna and crustaceans.

Also in waters here, but it is very rare to approach the coast. Scientists do not know why they approach the earth, some say they approach hunting, others leave the deep waters when they are sick and weak, and others when ocean conditions change drastically.

Photo: www.baleike.com