Saccopharyngiformes

Saccopharyngiformes
Pelican eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Subclass:	Neopterygii
Infraclass:	Teleostei
Superorder:	Elopomorpha
Order:	Saccopharyngiformes
Families
See text

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. Some, such as the swallowers, can live as deep as 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the ocean, well into the aphotic zone.

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 being modified to groups of elevated tubules.

Classification

There are four families in two suborders in the order:

• Suborder Cyematoidei
  • Cyematidae (bobtail snipe eels)
• Suborder Saccopharyngoidei
  • Eurypharyngidae (pelican eel)
  • Monognathidae (onejaws)
  • 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 specialised body shape, it is a poor swimmer and relies on the luminescent organ at the tip of its tail to attract prey.

External links

• Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Saccopharyngiformes" in FishBase. January 2006 version.bonefish
• Enchanted Learning Gulper Eel Copyright 1999 - 2006
• The Sea - Gulper Eel J.D. Knight, Copyright 1998
• Small fish takes big bite - Caymanian Compass, 9 October 2007