Weird and Wonderful: Deep-sea gulper eel

Gulper eels are deep-sea fish that live throughout the world’s ocean from a few hundred meters to over 2,000 meters (over 6,500 feet) in the deep midwater. The gulper eel’s adaptations make it a very successful deep-sea predator—their oversized jaws and stomach allow them to capture prey, swallowing it whole. Using MBARI’s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), we’ve seen gulper eels fewer than twenty times in 30 years of exploration in the deep midwater. Despite its rare appearance, this quintessential deep-se