The large olfactory organs in the males indicates that they may locate their mates through pheromones released by the females. The females, on the other hand, remain relatively unchanged as they mature. We do know that as they mature, the males undergo a change that causes enlargement of the olfactory organs, responsible for the sense of smell, and degeneration of the teeth and jaws. Not much is known about the reproductive habits of the gulper eel. Gulper eels themselves are preyed upon by lancet fish and other deep sea predators. When the eel gulps its prey into its massive jaws, it also takes in a large amount of water, which is then slowly expelled through its gill slits. The gulper eel is also known to feed on cephalopods (squid) and other small invertebrates. The eel can swim into a large groups of shrimp or other crustaceans with its mouth wide open, scooping them up as it goes. The large mouth may be an adaptation to allow the eel to eat a wider variety of prey when food is scarce. Since the eel has very tiny teeth, it probably does not eat large fish on a regular basis. In spite of its gigantic mouth, it is believed that the gulper eel's diet consists mainly of small crustaceans. It is usually black or dark green in color and sometimes has a white line or groove on either side of the dorsal fin.
The gulper eel can vary in length from three to six feet (about one to two meters).
When the prey is in range, the eel lunges and snaps is up in its gigantic mouth.
Since the eel's body is not built for chasing prey, It is believed that the eel uses this light as a fishing lure to attract fish and other creatures close to its enormous mouth. Through a process known as bioluminescence, the photophore glows pink and can give off occasional red flashes. The end of the tail is tipped with a light-producing organ known as a photophore. Specimens that have been brought to the surface in fishing nets have been known to have their long tails tied into several knots. The gulper eel also has a very long, whip-like tail. It is believed that the eyes evolved to detect faint traces of light rather than form images. Unlike many other deep sea creatures, it has very small eyes. Its pectoral fins are so tiny as to be almost nonexistent. The gulper eel is much different in appearance than most other eel species. The English name, from the early 17th century, derives from the Portuguese moréia, which itself derives from the Latin m?r?na, in turn from the Greek muraina, a kind of eel.Artist illustration of a gulper eel showing hinged jaw
The largest in terms of total mass is the giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus), which reaches 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and 30 kg (66 lb) in weight. The smallest moray eel is probably Snyder's moray (Anarchias leucurus), which attains a maximum length of 11.5 cm (4.5 in), while the longest species, the slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) reaches up to 4 m (13 ft). The approximately 200 species in 15 genera are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water, and a very few are found in fresh water. Moray eels, or Muraenidae, are a cosmopolitan family of eels. This EEL replica is useful in science and craft projects also. Add a starfish, crab, octoopus and some sea plants from us and create a beautiful world. This museum-quality MORAY EEL toy miniature will love the bottom of your reef diorama.
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