research worker with the exploratory vesselNautilusare no unknown to the teras that lurk deep beneath the surface of our oceans , and yet every so often they come across some peculiar brute that really sparks their exhilaration . A prima donna earlier this calendar month did just that when the watercraft ’s remotely operated fomite come across what one of the gang members called a " muppet " .
" Big gulp ! TheNautilusteam fleck a gulper eel ( Eurypharynx pelecanoides ) … in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument [ PMNM ] , ” wrote the crew on theirYouTube channel . “ Its pouch - like mouth can expand in an instant , scooping up much bombastic target just like a pelican – and giving it that muppet - like look ! "
The incredible footage shows what seems to be an underwater balloon slowly inflating and bobbing along the urine column to the air of researchers exclaiming their joy at the discovery .
“ Whaaat , ” they say , before remarking that he “ kind of looks like googly heart . ” Of naturally , there ’s also the theory that our slide booster simply “ ate too much . ”
This gulper eel was probable a juvenile , though the mild - bodied fish can produce up to 0.9 m ( 3 invertebrate foot ) in length – most of which is the tail . piddling is known about this species of eel , also called the pelican guzzler , other than that it ’s been found at depths ranging from 750 to 7,625 meter ( 2,460 to 25,000 substructure ) , and more ordinarily between 1,200 and 1,400 measure ( 3,940 to 4,590 substructure ) , in tropic and temperate waters around the world . Also know as umbrella - mouth gulpers , the creatures have expandable stomachs that canaccommodate enceinte prey , let in crustaceans , fish , and squid . Though they are usually solid black , the big - oral cavity gulper sometimes has glow organs . They are thought to breedonly once .
right on now , theNautiluscrew is exploring 10 seamounts in PMNM off the coast of Hawaii ’s Big Island to see how these underwater mountains formed parallel to the Hawaiian Islands ridgepole , and whether they plunk for “ vivacious coral and sponge community like others in the region , ” according to astatement . It is truly a first - time exploratory mission as none of the seamount have been dredged or dive on using deep - pee vehicle , and only one , Naifeh Seamount , has been named .
And if you ever find yourself bored on a Friday night , you may join thelive videostream and inquire questions of explorers currently aboard theNautilus .
“ What a way to end a vigil , right ? ” the scientist reason in the video . We could n’t agree more .
