Snipe Eel

The Snipe Eel

The snipe eel, known to science as Nemichthys scolopaceus, is a rather peculiar looking fish. It has a long body, up to four feet in length, and resembles a long piece of ribbon or string with a large bulbous head at one end. Their upper and  lower jaws curve away from each other at the tips. This means that they don't meet when the eel closes its mouth. The eel's jaws are curved this way because it helps to capture its favorite food. As the eel swims along with its mouth open, tiny backward-pointing teeth snag the antenna of the shrimp. The shrimp is then worked towards the inside of the mouth and eaten. The snipe eel is a deep-water fish that is found in open waters at a depth of about 6000 feet. They are found in all of the world's oceans. Photo courtesy of Paul Yancey, Biology Dept, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA.