Gulper Eel (Eurypharynx
Pelecanoides)
Among the stranger looking creatures of the deep sea realm, the Gulper Eel is definitely one of the more bizarre looking. It swims throughout the water with its snake like tail whipping a tiny bioluminescent, reddish light at the tip, while its large head has tiny, beady eyes Its huge mouth is lined with spiky teeth; its jaw loosely hinged and resembling that of a pelican. The elastic properties of its jaw allows the mouth to expand so that larger prey can be swallowed whole. This deep sea, large jawed eel, with its large holding capacity has earned the name pelican eel. It is sometimes called the umbrellamouth gulper due to the large mouth.
It lives at a range from 3000 to 9000 feet and in all of the worlds oceans. It will grow to a length of 2 to 6 feet. When large prey is occasionally swallowed, the eel’s stomach can expand to accommodate the increase. Tiny scales cover the eel’s skin at up to 100 per square inch. Gulper eels unlucky enough to be caught up in fishermen’s nets have been observed with their tails tangled into knots.
Among the stranger looking creatures of the deep sea realm, the Gulper Eel is definitely one of the more bizarre looking. It swims throughout the water with its snake like tail whipping a tiny bioluminescent, reddish light at the tip, while its large head has tiny, beady eyes Its huge mouth is lined with spiky teeth; its jaw loosely hinged and resembling that of a pelican. The elastic properties of its jaw allows the mouth to expand so that larger prey can be swallowed whole. This deep sea, large jawed eel, with its large holding capacity has earned the name pelican eel. It is sometimes called the umbrellamouth gulper due to the large mouth.
It lives at a range from 3000 to 9000 feet and in all of the worlds oceans. It will grow to a length of 2 to 6 feet. When large prey is occasionally swallowed, the eel’s stomach can expand to accommodate the increase. Tiny scales cover the eel’s skin at up to 100 per square inch. Gulper eels unlucky enough to be caught up in fishermen’s nets have been observed with their tails tangled into knots.