Biodiversity #2 – The Eel

Biodiversity #2 – eels are fish (and unrelated to sea snakes) but their dorsal fin and anal fins are joined to their caudal (tail) fin; and also, they don’t have scales like fish – but instead a mucous coating over their skin. The two main types of eel we see down here in Australia are the moray eel and snake eel (– think garden eel – nothing to do with a snake). Morays are not aggressive – when seen opening and closing their mouths it is just to force water over their gills – just imagine they are singing! Here’s my fave shot from Forster, NSW – two different species of moray in the same hole having a roaring contest.

pair of eels having a roaring contest

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