September 24, 2018 at 1:55 pm

Rare Gulper Eel Sighted in All Its Shapeshifting Glory

by twistedsifter

 

The Nautilus team spotted a gulper eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides) doing just that in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Its pouch-like mouth can inflate in an instant, scooping up much larger prey just like a pelican—and giving it that muppet-like look! This gulper eel was likely a juvenile, as this species can grow up to three feet in length.

E/V Nautilus is exploring unknown regions of the ocean seeking out new discoveries in biology, geology, and archaeology. Join them 24/7 for live video from the seafloor and to ask questions of their explorers currently aboard Nautilus: www.nautiluslive.org.

 

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