Eurypharynx pelecanoides

Overview

The Australian Museum describes Eurypharynx pelecanoides as an elongate black eel with tiny eyes close to the snout, several rows of small teeth in massive jaws, and a luminous organ at the tail tip. It occurs in tropical and temperate midwaters. Crustaceans are major food items, alongside fishes and other invertebrates. The museum presents ingestion of water followed by expulsion through the gills as a proposed feeding mechanism, rather than a measured outcome for every encounter.

NOAA's Journey into Midnight caption identifies an ultra-black pelican eel that reached the surface on the outside of a trawl net. Enough skin remained for measurements despite that specimen's rough passage. This documents a particular collected animal; the caption supplies neither an exact reflectance value nor a universal degree of darkness. The common name gulper eel also applies to other fishes, so observations identified as Saccopharynx are not assigned to this species.

Origins & earliest records

Vaillant's 1882 naming authority is distinct from the species' evolutionary origin.

Evidence & interpretation

Retained scientific and institutional passages.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Pelican Eel, Eurypharynx pelecanoides

   Mark McGrouther

2. 02

   Pelican Eel: Journey into Midnight

   NOAA Ocean Exploration

3. 03

   Odd Ocean Critters to Inspire Your Next Halloween Costume

   NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Museum species accountPelican eel accountResearch access: 2026-10-12
2. Primary expedition specimen captionPelican eel specimen observationResearch access: 2026-10-12
3. Institutional expedition observation accountGulper eel filmed observationResearch access: 2026-10-12

Image credits

Modern AI interpretation of complete pelican eel.

Modern AI eel interpretation; fine jaws and subdued tail light are schematic.