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The cusk-eel family, Ophidiidae, is a group of marine bony fishes in the Ophidiiformes order. Its name means snake in the Greek methodology.
History Of The Cusk Eel:
cusk-eels are part of the Percomorpha clade, along with tuna, perch, seahorses, and others. The oldest cusk eel is Ampheristus with numerous species that existed Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to the early Oligocene.
Habitat Of The Cusk Eel:
They are found all around the world in the hadal zone, with maximum depths starting from 8,370 m. They live close to the sea bottom.
Appearance And Description Of The Cusk Eel:
They have an eel-like appearance. The body is long and slender. It can grow to 2 meters but most are shorter than 1 meter. Their dorsal and anal fins are typically continuous with the caudal fin. The dorsal fin is longer than the anal fin. The pectoral fins of cusk eels are typically longer than the length of their head with the upper jaw reaching beyond the eye. They have almost no to rarely present scales on their body.
Diet:
Cusk eels primarily feed nocturnally on invertebrates, crustaceans, and small bottom-dwelling fishes. They are associated with various habitats such as muddy bottoms, sinkholes, caves, and coral crevices.
Behavior And Lifespan Of The Cusk Eel:
These fishes are known for their solitary nature and are often found in deep waters, although some species inhabit shallow waters. They spend much of their time burrowing in the substrate or hiding in crevices, caves, and other structures. They are nocturnal predators. They are also associated with tube worms environments. The lifespan varies significantly between species. Some species have a relatively short lifespan of around 17-20 months to up to 30 years.
Reproduction:
Unlike their relatives, they lay eggs and bread them. They are believed to be either spawned as individual, free-floating eggs in the open water or placed in a mucilaginous raft, which will float for several days until they hatch into cusk-eel larvae. They descend to deeper water as they grow.
Conservation Status:
While a few species are fished commercially – most notably the pink cusk-eel, Genypterus blacodes – and several species of the order Ophidiiformes are listed as vulnerable.
Cool Facts:
-They spent most of their lives in darkness.
-They have no bones.
What a creature the cusk eel is, fascinating and rare; needs more protection and care. Much more needed to search to further understand this fish and its lifecycle!
