A one-of-a-kind warm-blooded fish was found in the Pacific Ocean. Otherwise known as the moonfish, the Opah weighs 100 pounds, measures 3 feet in diameter and increases in length to a maximum of 6 feet.
As reported in USA Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers discovered these fun facts about Opah:
1. Opahs Produce Heat While Swimming
Opahs never feel cold while living deep in one of the largest ocean's waters. They continuously produce heat as they swim in the Pacific. Hence, balancing their body temperatures has never been a problem for Opahs.
2. Special Blood Vessels Distribute Warmth Within Their Bodies
Special blood vessels are responsible for spreading warmth all over an Opah's body. Other kinds of fish don't have these blood vessels.
3. Gills "Counter-Current Heat Exchangers" Lessen Heat Loss in Opah Bodies
These heat exchangers retain the healthy hormones in Opahs' bodies. Thus, Opahs lessen the loss of heat within their bodies constantly.
4. Opahs Have Sharp Eyesights
The warm blood within their bodies help Opahs retain sharp eyesight, according to Sydney Morning Herald. Hence, Opahs never get lost in finding their ways within the deep waters of the ocean.
5. Opahs Have Strong Muscle Performance
As reported in The Chicago Tribune, Opahs have strong muscle performance. Their warm-blooded bodies keep them strong and energized always as they roam the Pacific Ocean.
Lead researcher Nick Wegner let readers in on a surprising fact about Opahs by saying, "There has never been anything like this seen in a fish's [Opah's] gills before."
"The opah appears to produce the majority of its heat by constantly flapping its pectoral fins, which are used in continuous swimming," Wegner revealed in a Live Science interview.
Meanwhile, Wegner's colleague, Heidi Dewar, said in an interview with The Washington Post, "I think that it's really exciting that we spend so much time studying especially these larger fish to find something that's completely unique and has never been seen before in any fish."
"Before this discovery I was under the impression this was a slow-moving fish, like most other fish in cold environments," Wegner disclosed in La Jolla, California's The Southwest Fisheries Science Center. He added, "But because it can warm its body, it turns out to be a very active predator that chases down agile prey like squid and can migrate long distances."
Fishermen along California, Hawaii and New Zealand are reportedly the people who mostly catch Opahs unexpectedly, according to USA Today.
