Benham's Streamer-fish

Growing up to 3 metres long, the Benham's Streamer-fish is a rare type of oarfish with a body shaped like a thin ribbon. Its sleek, silver skin lacks scales but is covered in rows of small, hard nodules. This fish is easily identified by its bright pink dorsal fin, which runs the full length of its back, and long, thread-like rays that extend from its head. One of these rays can reach almost as far as the end of its body. The creature has a slender head with large, round eyes and a protruding mouth that opens into a long tube. Its silver sides are marked with dark vertical bands, while its face often shows a reddish tint.

Travellers are most likely to encounter this elusive fish in the Southern Ocean, particularly in the waters surrounding New Zealand, Tasmania, and southern Africa. It has also been recorded near South America, with one individual found on an Argentinian beach. These fish appear to live solitary lives and move through a vast range of depths. While some have been found in mid-water at 12 to 108 metres, others inhabit the deep ocean down to 5,000 metres. Because so few specimens have ever been studied, much of its life remains a mystery, though it is known to produce pale amber eggs measuring roughly 4 mm across. Many individuals are found with missing tail fins, suggesting these are frequently lost in the wild.