Deep-water oarfish dissected at Kyoto Aquarium

Deep-water oarfish dissected at Kyoto Aquarium

KYOTO, Japan - A deep-sea oarfish is dissected in front of visitors at the Kyoto Aquarium in Kyoto on May 15, 2015.

Deep-sea fish giving marine experts food for thought

Deep-sea fish giving marine experts food for thought

TOYAMA, Japan - This rarely seen deep-sea fish called ''Ryugu no Tsukai'' (slender oarfish) -- or ''Messenger from the Sea God's Palace'' -- drifted ashore in Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture, in December 2009 and is now on display as a specimen at Uozu Aquarium in the same prefecture on Feb. 3, 2010.

Mysterious fish on display at aquarium in central Japan

Mysterious fish on display at aquarium in central Japan

A giant oarfish, a fish species usually living in deep tropical seas, is on display at the Niigata City Aquarium in central Japan on Feb. 9, 2016. The 3.3-meter-long fish, weighing 14.5 kilograms, was found in a fixed fishing net off Sadogashima island the previous day. Little is known about the biology of the fish with a silver white long scaleless body and a red dorsal fin. The fish is known in Japan as "Ryugu no tsukai," or "Messenger from Dragon palace," an undersea palace in Japanese folklore. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Mysterious fish on display at aquarium in central Japan

Mysterious fish on display at aquarium in central Japan

A giant oarfish, a fish species usually living in deep tropical seas, is on display at the Niigata City Aquarium in central Japan on Feb. 9, 2016. The 3.3-meter-long fish, weighing 14.5 kilograms, was found in a fixed fishing net off Sadogashima island the previous day. Little is known about the biology of the fish with a silver white long scaleless body and a red dorsal fin. The fish is known in Japan as "Ryugu no tsukai," or "Messenger from Dragon palace," an undersea palace in Japanese folklore. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Deep-sea fish giving marine experts food for thought

Deep-sea fish giving marine experts food for thought

TOYAMA, Japan - This rarely seen deep-sea fish called ''Ryugu no Tsukai'' (slender oarfish) -- or ''Messenger from the Sea God's Palace'' -- drifted ashore in Kurobe, Toyama Prefecture, in December 2009 and is now on display as a specimen at Uozu Aquarium in the same prefecture on Feb. 3, 2010. (Kyodo)

Oarfish displayed at aquarium in Fukui, western Japan

Oarfish displayed at aquarium in Fukui, western Japan

An oarfish is displayed at the Echizen Matsushima Aquarium in Sakai, Fukui Prefecture, western Japan, on July 31, 2015. The deep-sea fish, about 2 meters long, was found caught in a fishing net in Wakasa Bay in the Sea of Japan late in July and died shortly later. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo