Eelpouts

Eelpouts

fish on the seafloor
Eelpouts are often spotted at Southern Hydrate Ridge (~775 m). Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive 1784; V14

The eelpout is similar in appearance to an eel, with long slender bodies and dorsal and anal fins connected to the caudal fin, however they are unrelated benthic ray-finned fish. Eelpouts have the ability to lay eggs as well as have live births.

Small eelpouts (Licenchelys sp.) have been spotted at Southern Hydrate Ridge and around the FLOBN-MOS1 site at about 775 m below the sea surface. However, some deep-water species of eelpout (in the genus Pachycara) can be up to 90 cm in length, and we have seen some of these larger species near the Slope Base (2900 m) site and occasionally at Axial Seamount (2600 m).

References:
Encyclopedia Britannica
Marine Life Field Guide (Neptune Canada)

fish and clams
Eelpout in a clam bed at Southern Hydrate Ridge
long eel-like fish on seafloor
Eelpouts have been spotted at Southern Hydrate Ridge around the FLOBN-MOS1 site at a water depth of ~775 m Credit: UW/NSF-OOI//CSSF; ROPOS Dive 1784; V14.
cute fish facing camera
An eelpout fish encountered during a site survey between the Endurance Oregon Offshore 2-legged mooring EOM leg anchor and the low-voltage node LV01C. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1752, V14
Silvery fish with continuous fin along upper and lower body
An eelpout resting on the sediment at Hydrate Ridge, near Einstein's Grotto. Photo Credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF, Dive R1750, V14
long purplish eel-like fish with big lips resting on the seafloor
An eelpout (Pachycara sp. according to B. Frable, SIO) laying on the seafloor next to Primary Node PN1A at Slope Base in 2019. Photo credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, Dive J2-1182, V19
fish facing camera from within a rock crevice
An eelpout (possibly Pachycara sp.) confronting the ROV from within a crevice at the Dymond Vent Field on the SE flank of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF/OOI/WHOI, J2-1669, V24.
fish poking out of rock crevice
An eelpout (possibly Pachycara sp.) poking its head out of a crevice at the Dymond Vent Field on the SE flank of Axial Seamount. Credit: UW/NSF/OOI/WHOI, J2-1669, V24.
long eel-like fish on seafloor
A small eelpout sits on the seafloor at Southern Hydrate Ridge. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, J2-1715, V25.
fish poking its head up among tube worms
A hydrothermal vent eelpout peeking out from behind limpets and chemosynthetic tube worms at Marker 113, a diffuse flow site in Axial Caldera. Carleton College/UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI, J2-1559, V23.