True Facts: Five Freaky Eels

Credits:
Dr Rita Mehta, UC Irvine
Dr. Michael J. Miller, The University of Tokyo
Dr Peter Wainwright, UC Davis
Alexandra Khrizman, Stanford University
Dr Kyujin Cho, Seoul National University
Dr. Dominique Adriaens, UGent
Dr. Julian Finn, Museums Victoria
Dr. Amatzia Genin, The Hebrew University
Research Group for Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, UGent
New England Aquarium
NOAA & Ocean Exploration Trust
Video courtesy of Schmidt Ocean Institute
Bie Muusze
Toonbeeld
Jack Perks
Ellen Muller
ScubaZoo
Real Freedom Productions
RAITARO TAMI
Nick Hart
I like weird fish
Deedee
verukah

Citations:

Bouilliart M, Tomkiewicz J, Lauesen P, De Kegel B, Adriaens D. Musculoskeletal anatomy and feeding performance of pre-feeding engyodontic larvae of the European eel  doi: 10.1111/joa.12335.

Canei J, Trupia A, Nonclercq D. Cytological analysis of integumentary and muscular adaptations in three sand-dwelling marine teleosts, Ammodytes tobianus (Ammodytidae), Gorgasia preclara (Congridae) and Heteroconger hassi (Congridae) (Teleostei; Actinopterygii). doi: 10.1111/jfb.14472.

De Meyer J, Herrel A, Belpaire C, Goemans G, Ide C, De Kegel B, Christiaens J, Adriaens D. Broader head, stronger bite: In vivo bite forces in European eel Anguilla anguilla. doi: 10.1111/jfb.13511.

De Meyer J, Van Wassenbergh S, Bouilliart M, Dhaene J, Adriaens D. Built to bite? Differences in cranial morphology and bite performance between narrow- and broad-headed European glass eels. doi: 10.1002/jmor.20776.

Kakizaki, Tomohiro & Kobayashi, Keisuke & Nakatsubo, Toshiyuki & Wakiya, Ryoshiro & Watanabe, Shun & Miller, Michael & Tsukamoto, Katsumi. (2015). Spawning behavior of garden eels, Gorgasia preclara and Heteroconger hassi (Heterocongrinae), observed in captivity. 10.1080/10236244.2015.1064213.

Khrizman A, Kolesnikov I, Churilov D and Genin A (2024) Zooplanktivory in garden eels: benefits and shortcomings of being “anchored” compared with other coral-reef fish. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1330379

Khrizman A, Ribak G, Churilov D, Kolesnikov I, Genin A. Life in the flow: unique adaptations for feeding on drifting zooplankton in garden eels. doi: 10.1242/jeb.179523.

López Miranda JL, Celis LB, Estévez M, Chávez V, van Tussenbroek BI, Uribe-Martínez A, Cuevas E, Rosillo Pantoja I, Masia L, Cauich-Kantun C and Silva R (2021) Commercial Potential of Pelagic Sargassum spp. in Mexico. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.768470

Mehta RS, Donohoe KR. Snowflake morays, Echidna nebulosa, exhibit similar feeding kinematics in terrestrial and aquatic treatments. doi: 10.1242/jeb.234047.

Miller, M.J. (2009). Ecology of Anguilliform Leptocephali: Remarkable Transparent Fish Larvae of the Ocean Surface Layer. 10.5047/absm.2009.00204.0001.

Miller, M. & Norman, M & Tsukamoto, Katsumi & Finn, Julian. (2013). Evidence of mimicry of gelatinous zooplankton by anguilliform leptocephali for predator avoidance. 10.1080/10236244.2013.773128.

Tyler, James C. AND C. Lavett Smith. Systematic Significance of the Burrow Form of Seven Species of Garden Eels. February 26, 1992. American Museum of Natural History Library, Vol 3037.

Tytell ED, Lauder GV. The hydrodynamics of eel swimming: I. Wake structure. J Exp Biol. 2004 May;207(Pt 11):1825-41. doi: 10.1242/jeb.00968

van Ginneken, Vincent & Vianen, Gerjanne & Muusze, Bie & Palstra, Arjan & Verschoor, Louise & Lugten, Olivier & Onderwater, Marjolijn & Schie, Sjoerd & Niemantsverdriet, Patrick & van Heeswijk, Richard & Eding, Ep & Thillart, Guido. (2005). Gonad development and spawning behaviour of artificially-matured European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.). Animal Biology. 55. 203-218. 10.1163/1570756054472791.

[pianocat]

When the jaws open wide, and there's more jaws inside, that's a moray

[greg]

"When 2 eels are fighting, it's hard to tell who's a' winning, and who's a' knot!"
Man, I love True Facts!

[pyalot]

„Ribbon eel is an ambush hunter“

Prey casually swims away in no particular hurry being ambushed.

[WaterShipUp]

"Wetzel's Pretzel. Which is the name of an eel sex position, btw." I don't know how Ze Frank keeps coming up with these hilarious lines, but I hope he never runs out.

[Venom_Snek]

I love how garden eels are basically just fish grass.

[kaloofy]

Learning that some eels hunt on land has unlocked a wonderful feeling inside me that might be fear but also awe

[jakeedwards]

Whenever I watch Ze Frank I feel like a true int-eel-lectual.

[flyingmako]

See that fish on the reef with the two sets of teeth, that’s A Moray!

Stick your hand in the crack and he won’t give it back, that’s A Moray!

[WaterShipUp]

"When an eel has a maw, with a second set of jaws, that's a moray"
Or, as Ze Frank would put it. "That is how the Moray do." Thanks for the learning & laughs.

[beegchunguz]

Grouper: Did we just become best friends?

Eel: YEP!

[paradox]

When an eel has a maw with a pharyngeal jaw, that's a Moray

[puttiplush]

The delivery on "Negligent." was superlative. I felt slapped across the face. Powerful intonation of just one word to shame all of eel-kind. Great work!

[purplehaze]

I desperately want a buddy cop comedy about a moray eel and grouper.

[SortofScorpion]

4:50 and what’s crazy is that Morays and groupers are not the only pair of long and stocky fish that team up to hunt. I have seen freshwater American eels work with smallmouth bass to flush prey from underneath rocks. Interesting how certain specific interactions seem to repeat themselves in other species.

[spartanhawk]

"This is an excellent way to weed out the dumbest fish" had me rolling.

[NateC]

"I could show you anything here." That got a good belly laugh cuz I've long contended to my wife that he(You, Mr. Zefrank) could really put anything on the screen and more than half of us watching ain't going to question it😂

[chocolatefrenzieya]

As a novice diver, I'm imagining myself cluelessly floating into this "patch of sea grass"...

[selinesbeau]

The hydro dam where my dad worked has an eel ladder built into it. Runs right through the structure from one side to the other.

[many_lives]

Whenever he starts losing it trying his best to explain these goofy things is the best part 😆😅🤣😂😁

[cressrose]

I will never tire of these delightful videos. The Butt/But jokes, the silly wordplay, the "Wait, Jerry, that's--" bits. And I always learn something new about this wild planet we live on! What an awesome series. Thanks for the knowledge and the joy. ^v^