''Saccopharynx lavenbergi'' is a species of
gulper eel,
[ also known as the whiptail gulper. This fish is known for its large mouth and long whiplike tail.]
Distribution
''Saccopharynx lavenbergi'' occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean.[
]
Description
The species is very similar to others in the genus ''Saccopharynx
''Saccopharynx'' is a genus of deep-sea eels with large mouths, distensible stomachs and long, scaleless bodies. Commonly, these fish are called gulpers or gulper eels. It is the only genus in the family Saccopharyngidae, and is part of the deriv ...
'', featuring large mouths and long slender bodies. It is typically dark in color and has small eyes. This is probably because at the depths these eels dwell, there is little to no light from the sun. They also feature a bioluminescent
Bioluminescence is the emission of light during a chemiluminescence reaction by living organisms. Bioluminescence occurs in multifarious organisms ranging from marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms inc ...
organ at the tips of their long tails, the function of which is currently unknown.
Ecology
It occurs at depths of .[ It has been hypothesized that the large mouth of the eel allows it to swallow prey much larger than itself.][
While no specimens have been observed mating in the wild, observations of dead specimens have led scientists to believe that this species dies after mating, much like freshwater eels.]
Taxonomy and phylogeny
In 2003, researchers from the University of Tokyo sequenced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the DNA contained in ...
) from specimens of '' Eurypharynx pelicanoides'' and ''Saccopharynx lavenbergi''. After comparing the sequences from the specimens with other known sequences, they found that ''Eurypharynx pelicanoides'' and ''Saccopharynx lavenbergi'' were closely related and had mitochondrial genomes distinct from other Anguilliformes
Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order (biology), order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 Family (biology), families, 164 genus, genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the earl ...
.
References
{{taxonbar, from=Q3004646
Saccopharyngidae
Fish of the Pacific Ocean
Fish described in 1985
Taxa named by Jørgen G. Nielsen