Gulper Eel Balloons Its Massive Jaws

Big gulp! The Nautilus team spotted a gulper eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides) doing just that in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Its pouch-like mouth can inflate in an instant, scooping up much larger prey just like a pelican--and giving it that muppet-like look! This gulper eel was likely a juvenile, as this species can grow up to three feet in length.