Fish of the Regalecus genus of the Regalecidae (Oarfishes) family of the Taeniosomi suborder of the Lampriformes order of the Lampridiomorpha superorder.
(Giant oarfish, or king of herrings. Photo by © x116.peps.jp)
Giant oarfish, or king of herrings (Regalecus glesne) was first described in 1772 by the Norwegian biologist and mineralogist Peter Ascanius (1723-1803).
It is a pelagic species. It inhabits the depths of 20-1,000 meters. The maximum recorded length is 17 meters; specimens up to 300 cm long are more common. The maximum weight is 272 kilograms. It feeds on crustaceans, small fish and squid.
(Giant oarfish, or king of herrings. Photo by © factologia.net)
King of herrings – the longest of all living bony fishes.
It has been found in the Adriatic Sea several times.
Names of giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne) in other languages are as follows:
Riemvis (Dutch), Βασιλιάς ρεγγών (Vasilias rengon) (Greek), Rey de los arenques (иSpanish), Re di aringhe (Italian), Riemenfisch (German), Wstęgor królewski (Polish), Regaleco (Portuguese), Обыкновенный сельдяной король (Obyknovenniy seljdjanoy korolj) (Russian), Pojas (Croatian, Serbian), Kurdele balığı (Turkish), Roi des harengs (French), Hlístoun červenohřívý (Czech).