It has been suggested that Umbrella Mouth Gulper Eel be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

iPelican eel
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Saccopharyngiformes Family: Eurypharyngidae Genus: Eurypharynx Species: E. pelecanoides
Binomial name
Eurypharynx pelecanoides Vaillant, 1882

The pelican eel or gulper eel, Eurypharynx pelecanoides, is a deep-sea fish rarely seen by humans, though the creatures are occasionally snagged in fishermen's nets. It is an eel-like fish, the only member of the genus Eurypharynx and the family Eurypharyngidae. It belongs to the order Saccopharyngiformes which is closely related to the true eels in Anguilliformes. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... The umbrella mouth gulper eel is a species of brownish to blackish eel that lives 5000 to 9000 feet below the ocean. ... Image File history File links Gulper Eel File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera Subregnum Eumetazoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Radiata (unranked) Ctenophora Cnidaria Bilateria (unranked) Acoelomorpha Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata Hemichordata Echinodermata Chaetognatha Superphylum Ecdysozoa Kinorhyncha Loricifera Priapulida Nematoda Nematomorpha Onychophora Tardigrada Arthropoda Superphylum Platyzoa Platyhelminthes Gastrotricha Rotifera Acanthocephala Gnathostomulida Micrognathozoa Cycliophora Superphylum Lophotrochozoa Sipuncula Nemertea Phoronida Bryozoa Entoprocta Brachiopoda... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders See text The Actinopterygii are the ray-finned fish. ... Families Cyematidae Eurypharyngidae Monognathidae Saccopharyngidae Saccopharyngiformes is an order of unusual ray-finned fish superficially similar to eels, but with many internal differences. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Léon Vaillant Léon Vaillant (November 11, 1834 - November 24, 1914) was a French zoologist. ... Families Cyematidae Eurypharyngidae Monognathidae Saccopharyngidae Saccopharyngiformes is an order of unusual ray-finned fish superficially similar to eels, but with many internal differences. ... The Anguilliformes (true eels) are an order of bony fishes. ... The Anguilliformes (true eels) are an order of bony fishes. ...

The pelican eel's most notable feature is its enormous mouth, much larger than its body. The mouth is loosely-hinged, and can be opened wide enough to swallow a fish much larger than itself. The pouch-like lower jaw resembles that of a pelican, hence its name. It is also sometimes referred to as the umbrella mouth gulper. The stomach can stretch and expand to accommodate large meals. The eel uses a long, whip-like tail for movement, and the end of the tail is luminous to attract prey. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with mandible. ... Species Pelecanus occidentalis Pelecanus thagus Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Pelecanus onocrotalus Pelecanus crispus Pelecanus rufescens Pelecanus philippensis Pelecanus conspicillatus A pelican is any of several very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae. ...

The pelican eel feeds primarily on fish, shrimp and plankton. It grows to about 0.61 or 1 m in length and is found in all tropical and subtropical seas at depths ranging from 900 to 8,000 m (3,000 to 27,000 feet). Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are small, swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

References

• Eurypharynx pelecanoides (TSN 161653). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 24 January 2006.
• "Eurypharynx pelecanoides". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. November 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.