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OCEANSIDE, Calif. (AP) - In a story Oct. 19 about the discovery of a rare oarfish on a Southern California beach, The Associated Press erroneously reported the name of the oceanographic institution contacted by Oceanside police. The organization is Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, not The Scripps Research Institute.
A corrected version of the story is below:
New 14-foot `sea serpent' found in Southern Calif.
For 2nd time in a week, a `sea serpent' attracts gawkers on Southern California beach
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (AP) _ For the second time in less than a week, a "sea serpent" attracted gawkers on a Southern California beach.
This time the rare, snakelike oarfish washed up Friday afternoon in Oceanside.
U-T San Diego reported ( http://bit.ly/19Zy2JS) that it measured nearly 14 feet long and attracted a crowd of up to 75 people.
Oceanside police contacted SeaWorld San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Someone from NOAA retrieved the carcass, which was cut into sections for later study.
While it's unusual to find the deep-water fish near shore, on Sunday a snorkeler off Catalina Island found an 18-foot-long oarfish and dragged it onto the beach with the help of a dozen other people.
According to the Catalina Island Marine Institute, oarfish can grow to more than 50 feet, making them the longest bony fish in the world.
They are likely responsible for sea serpent legends throughout history.
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