'Odd-looking' deep sea fish washes up on beach, surprising locals: 'Would not expect to run across'

An "odd-looking" deep-sea fish recently washed ashore on an Oregon beach to the surprise of a local aquarium.

The Seaside Aquarium in Seaside, Oregon, published pictures of the dead fish in an April 23 Facebook post. Experts identified the fish as a longnose lancetfish.

"Resembling a barracuda, this is one fish you would not expect to run across along the Oregon coast," the aquarium said. "Their beautiful large eyes, sharp fang-like teeth, and serpent-like body distinguish this fish from most others living in the Pacific Northwest."

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The aquarium noted that little is known about longnose lancetfish. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the species "look like they swam out of prehistoric time."

"Features include gaping fanged jaws, enormous eyes, a sail-like fin, and a long, slithery body," the NOAA's website describes.

"Growing to more than 7 feet long, lancetfish are one of the largest deep-sea fish," the scientific agency adds. "These fish swim to depths more than 1 mile below the sea surface."

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At Seaside Aquarium, aquatic experts quickly got to work and sliced the longnose lancetfish open in order to analyze the contents of its stomach. The species is known for their "unique feeding habits," the aquarium said.

"We also know that they are not picky eaters, they are known to eat over 90 different species of marine life, including each other, and unfortunately, are attracted to plastics," the aquarium said.

Pictures posted by the aquarium show what appear to be squids and small-sized fish taken from the lancetfish's stomach. 

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The specimens were remarkably whole, showing that the longnose lancetfish didn't digest much of its meals.

"They have poor digestion, so when you look at the contents of their stomachs you will usually see whole fish and other prey items," the Seaside Aquarium added in its post. "By studying what the longnose lancetfish is eating scientists can better understand how the marine food web changes over time (if at all)."

"It may also help understand changes in the food web brought on by events like El Nino or La Nina."

The aquarium added that, though unusual, longnose lancetfish are known to wash up on Oregon beaches during this time of year.

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"For some reason in the spring and summer, a handful of these guys wash ashore on Oregon beaches," the post concluded. 

"The aquarium often gets a call when someone comes across one of these odd-looking fish wondering exactly what it is that they have found."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Seaside Aquarium for additional comment.