GULPER EEL
Saccopharynx sp.

A gulper eel engulfs its prey in its huge, pelicanlike mouth. Usually this eel eats small, slow fishes and shrimp, but its large mouth permits a varied diet. The gulper eel can unhinge its enormous jaws and stretch its stomach to consume a fish as big as itself.


Species Information

Diet
crustaceans, fishes

Size
to 6 feet (1.8 m) long

Range
to 6,500 feet (1,198 m) or more

Relatives
there are several species of gulper eel

Conservation Notes
Anything that finds its way into the ocean, whether it's tossed away as trash, washes off a beach or falls off a boat, may eventually make its way to the deep sea. It's important to realize that the deep sea is not so far away that it's beyond the reach of human activities. Living creatures in the deep are affected by what we do at the surface.

Cool Facts
Gulper eels have a bioluminescent organ on the tips of their tails.

?? 2005 Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation http://www.mbayaq.org/
Source: http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/living_species/print.asp?inhab=186