An oarfish, sometimes called the 'doomsday fish,' was spotted in California for the second time this year. The extremely rare creature has only been seen in the state 21 times since 1901.

For the second time this year, a long, ribbon-shaped oarfish that is frequently connected to disasters has come ashore on Californian beaches. NBC News reports that PhD candidate Alison Laferriere of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Encinitas, Southern California, made the discovery of the roughly 10-foot-long fish.

A rare oarfish, believed to portend disaster, washed up on a beach in Encinitas last week. Since 1901, only 21 oarfish have been recorded on California’s shores. This is the second this year.

The proximity of these strandings has reignited discussions about the oarfish's mythical reputation as a predictor of natural disasters.

Two incredibly rare - and incredibly strange - oarfish have washed up on California beaches this year. Before now, only 18 had been documented on beaches in the state since 1901. Scientists say changing ocean conditions could have something to do with it.

This month's sighting was only the 21st time the fish has been documented to have washed up in California since 1901, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

SFGATE reports how the oarfish — which is an incredibly rare sea creature that can stretch up to 12 feet in length — was spotted on the sand of Grandview Beach in Encinitas a couple of weeks ago. According to a Facebook post published by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography,

A member of the Scripps Oceanography team spotted the dead fish outside of San Diego, California. The fish was estimated to be 9 to 10 feet in length, which was much smaller than the one recovered in La Jolla in August.

A rare and almost mythical creature from the deep sea has washed up on a California beach in the form of an oarfish measuring more than 9 feet long!

A rare oarfish, long associated with doomsday myths, has washed ashore in California for the second time this year, sparking speculation about climate change and natural disasters.