Sharptail eels orange eyes match their orange spots
This is the head of a sharptail eel, which is a type of snake eel. Although these creatures resemble a snake, don’t confuse this with a “sea snake”. So, what’s the difference? Sea snakes are reptiles that need to surface to breathe air. Snake eels are fish with gills, so they can breathe underwater.
These eels are typically gray to olive in color with a beautiful pattern of orange spots all over their body. The spots become more concentrated around the eel’s head. Their orange eyes match their orange spots. These eels will not grow much longer than three feet. They will eat crabs and other invertebrates as they scavenge the sea floor. Sharptail eels can be found throughout the tropical western Atlantic. This photo was taken in West Palm Beach, Florida.
As you can tell by this photo, sharptail eels are actually quite approachable. However, if you approach them too quickly, you could startle them, and they will dive into the sand. Their heads and tails are pointed, which makes it easier for them to burrow. Most of the time, sharptail eels are active at night, however this photo was taken during the day.
Fun Fact: Sharptail eels have nostrils! If you see the two white tubes coming out of the nose, those are the nostrils.
Sharptail eels are quite approachable
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