Serpent-like eel named after Hades, god of the underworld

Picture this: an eel so unique that it stands apart from its peers and charts its own course in the aquatic world. This captivating creature is none other than the Hades’ snake moray eel.

Unlike other moray eels, this particular species thrives in dim and muddy river mouths, adding an intriguing twist to the common moray narrative.

Unique habitat and traits of the Hades’ eel

The Hades’ snake moray, scientifically known as Uropterygius hades, is a slim, dark brown, serpent-like eel that is widely recognized for its distinctive lifestyle.

This one-of-a-kind creature is distributed across the Central Indo-Pacific region in southern Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, southern Java, and Fiji.

The dark, formidable hue of this eel and its unique habitat, combined with its unusual burrowing behavior and extreme light sensitivity, have earned it the name of the underworld god, Hades.

New species in an unlikely environment

This new species was brought to light by a team of scientists from the National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan, Western Philippines University, and the Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History in Japan.

The researchers were inspired by Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of Hades in the movie Clash of the Titans, which is how the Hades’ snake moray eel got its name.

There are currently about 230 recognized species of moray eels, with the majority inhabiting marine environments.

Only one has been confirmed to exist predominantly in freshwater and some, like the slender giant moray, occasionally venture into low-salinity habitats such as river mouths.

Moray eels that are specifically adapted to live in estuarine habitats are exceedingly rare.

An unexpected encounter

Interestingly, the discovery of the Hades’ snake moray was made by accident.

Researchers from National Sun Yat-sen University were conducting a survey of the bean-eyed snake moray, a creature known for its highly reduced eye size, within the caves of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.

The goal was to use this eel as a case study to understand the evolutionary processes of eel adaptation to cave environments.

But, the team had a surprise in store. Instead of the bean-eyed eel, the researchers stumbled upon a slender, uniformly deep, dark-colored eel that turned out to be the Hades’ snake moray.

Lifestyle of the Hades’ snake moray eel

So, what makes this eel so special? Its lifestyle and habits are intriguing, to say the least.

In an aquatic tank, this eel exhibits tail-first burrowing behavior, which is a rare trait among morays. It is unusually sensitive to light, and constantly seeks refuge from brightness.

Its small eyes, likely adapted to low-light environments, along with reduced sensory pores in the head – presumably to prevent clogging by substrate – indicate that this species may excel at burrowing.

The discovery of the Hades’ snake moray eel pushes the boundaries of our knowledge of aquatic life. It serves as a reminder of the fascinating biodiversity that lies around every corner of our planet, waiting for curious minds to uncover.

Ecological role and conservation

Despite its elusive nature, the Hades’ snake moray eel plays an important role in its estuarine ecosystem.

By inhabiting river mouths and burrowing into the substrate, this eel likely contributes to sediment turnover and helps to maintain the delicate balance of these muddy environments.

Its preference for low-light, turbid waters also indicates its adaptability to conditions that many aquatic species would find inhospitable.

However, the specialized habitat of this eel makes it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.

River mouths across the Central Indo-Pacific are increasingly under threat from pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change, which could disrupt the unique conditions that the Hades’ snake moray eel requires to thrive.

Protecting the estuarine habitats of this species is crucial for preserving not only the eel itself but also the broader biodiversity of these ecosystems.

Continued research and monitoring of Uropterygius hades will be essential to understand its ecological role and to inform conservation strategies for this and other unique river-dwelling species.

The full study was published in the journal ZooKeys.

Image Credit: Dr. Wen-Chien Huang

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