Saccopharyngiformes

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Saccopharyngiformes is an order of unusual ray-finned fish superficially similar to eels, but with many internal differences. Most of the fish in this order are deep-sea types known from only a handful of specimens such as the Umbrella Mouth Gulper Eel. Saccopharyngiformes are also bioluminescent in several species.

Saccopharyngiforms lack several bones, such as the symplectic bone, the bones of the opercle, and ribs. They also have no scales, pelvic fins, or swim bladder. The jaws are quite large, and several types are notable for being able to consume fish larger than themselves. Their myomeres (muscle segments) are V-shaped instead of W-shaped like in all other fish, and their lateral line has no pores, instead it is modified to groups of elevated tubules. Like other gulper eels, the swallower can live as deep as 10,000 feet (3,000 m)in the ocean.

Classification

There are four families in the order:

Cyematidae (bobtail snipe eels)
Eurypharyngidae (pelican eel)
Monognathidae
Saccopharyngidae (swallowers, gulpers or gulper eels)

Diet

The gulper eel eats fish, copepods, shrimp, and plankton. It uses its mouth like a net by opening its large mouth and swimming at its prey. Due to the gulper eel's odd body shape, it is a poor swimmer and relies on the luminescent organ at the tip of its tail.

External links

9th October 2007

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Last updated on Tuesday February 26, 2008 at 11:46:01 PST (GMT -0800)
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