The Gulper Eel lives in the abyssal plain, about 6,500 feet down on a flat area of the ocean floor called the deep ocean basin. It’s about 2.5 miles deep and covers approximately 30% of the Earth’s surface. The animals and organisms live without sunlight and make their own light by bioluminescence.
Description of the Gulper Eel
Varying in size from 2-6 feet long, the Gulper Eel can swallow a fish or other animal two-thirds of its own size. The Gulper Eel has teeth, but the Umbrellamouth Gulper Eel doesn’t. The mouth of the eel is very flexible with a loosely hinged jaw. Its body is little more than a sack, and its stomach is easily expandable.
The eel waits in the dark for a fish or weak animal to pass by, and catches it with the upper part of the mouth. The animal or fish drops down to the lower jaw, much like a pelican traps its prey. The fish or animal is then swallowed whole. When the eel is done digesting its meal, it opens its mouth wide to get rid of the leftovers.
How a Gulper Eel Lures Its Prey
The eel has an organ on the tip of its tail that glows in the dark, which it uses as a lure. Animals and fish that live that far down in the ocean are attracted to the light, hoping for their own dinner. The Gulper Eel patiently waits until the food is close enough, and then opens wide and scoops it in its mouth. The eel may not need to eat for a few days depending on the catch.
For more information on the Gulper Eel and other interesting creatures living in the abyssal plain, try these pages:
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