Unidentified Eels

St. Vincent,

St. Vincent and the Grenadines,

West Indies

Another quandary....

I have photographed 3 eels over the past year, none of which appear in the books!

Eel #1 - Found at the dive site known as Castle Bay, St. Vincent. Photographed during the day, appeared not to be too shy, actively hunting, similar size to Gold Spotted eel. Honey coloured, with fins just behind head.

Eel #2 - Found at the dive site known a Critter Corner. Photographed during the day, very shy, withdrew quickly in to sand when approached. Similar size to Snake Eel, but much smaller eyes, almost at top of head.

Eel #3 - Found at dive site known as Kingstown Wall. Photographed during the day, not shy at all, allows divers to get very close, and will not move unless forced to do so. Slightly larger than average Snake Eel. Color dark grey, huge eyes with round pupils.

Any help would be appreciated!

Kay Wilson

Skype: kay.deborah.wilson

Kay, what I think is below:

"West Indies

Another quandary....

I have photographed 3 eels over the past year, none of which appear in the books!

Eel #1 - Found at the dive site known as Castle Bay, St. Vincent. Photographed during the day, appeared not to be too shy, actively hunting, similar size to Gold Spotted eel. Honey coloured, with fins just behind head."

I can pretty confidently say this is the key worm eel (Ahilia egmontis); I've photographed this one in Florida. I'd rather see a close-up crop of the head but I still think it is the key worm eel. Here is a quote from Paul Humann on the ID specs from my photos sometime back:

"Yes, I agree it is the Key Worm Eel! I photographed this guy in Venezuela of two occasions and my pictures are remarkably similar in color. The "Distinctive Features" are (1) the dorsal fin starting far back on the body, above or slightly behind the anus (i.e.. about half way) and (2) a line or narrow depression from the tip of the snout to between the eyes. Both of these features (although a bit soft) are discernible in the 2nd picture labeled 104. It is known from Bermuda to Venezuela, so it should be in Florida."

"Eel #2 - Found at the dive site known a Critter Corner. Photographed during the day, very shy, withdrew quickly in to sand when approached. Similar size to Snake Eel, but much smaller eyes, almost at top of head."

I would send this one to Les Wilk at: wilk@reefnet.ca. I can say what I think but there are actually a lot of snake eels and I don't want to commit a "faux-pas". Post back here with ID if you can - I'm interested to know if it is what I think.

"Eel #3 - Found at dive site known as Kingstown Wall. Photographed during the day, not shy at all, allows divers to get very close, and will not move unless forced to do so. Slightly larger than average Snake Eel. Color dark grey, huge eyes with round pupils."

I think this one is the manytooth conger (Conger triporiceps) but again I'd send it to Les for a prompt definitive ID as I could be wrong....

Best, Carol

Thank you for your advice!

I have attached a close up of the head of eel #1, sorry that it is a bit grainy, but the eel was not hanging around ant this was the best shot that I could get, however i do have approx 45 seconds of video footage, would that be useful? It's pretty low quality, but it shows the swimming action of the eel.

I have also attached a couple of shots of a blue eel that Dale, one of the dive shops Dive Master in training, spotted on a dive in July. We thought that it might be a Atlantic Conger that had been blown of course, but due to the location of the eel far in a hole (at approx 100ft) on a wall it is very hard to get a proper identification.

Looking forward to putting names to these eel faces!

Thanks,

Kay Wilson

Skype: kay.deborah.wilson

www.indigodive.com

Thank you for your advice!

 

I have attached a close up of the head of eel #1, sorry that it is a bit grainy, but the eel was not hanging around ant this was the best shot that I could get, however i do have approx 45 seconds of video footage, would that be useful? It's pretty low quality, but it shows the swimming action of the eel.

 

I have also attached a couple of shots of a blue eel that Dale, one of the dive shops Dive Master in training, spotted on a dive in July. We thought that it might be a Atlantic Conger that had been blown of course, but due to the location of the eel far in a hole (at approx 100ft) on a wall it is very hard to get a proper identification.

 

Looking forward to putting names to these eel faces!

 

Thanks,

 

Kay Wilson

Skype: kay.deborah.wilson

 

www.indigodive.com

Ok I can help you out almost 100 % with one and 90% with one and not at all with the first one and fourth.

The second eel is a Short Tail Snake eel .. I 've seen them a few times in St. Lucia.

Third one I am 90 % sure probably even more that it is a spotted spoon nose snake eel. (definitely not a manytooth conger)

The fourth blue one however, I am not sure, Can't really tell from the picture but the colour of it does not exactly fit the colour of any manytooth congers I've seen. I have seen them before in St. Lucia. Very shy hide during the day. Out at night but still very skittish. The distinctive blue colour is the easiest way to make them out as well as the pronounced fin on their back. Also the "face" on the eel in the fourth photo looks too broad to be a manytooth conger (might be another species of conger though). Nice finds though. Especially the 3'rd one.

btw nice to see more west indians. Les Wilk is also a great resource and he does reply to emails. He ID'ed a rare variation of a whitenose pipefish which we found diving over the summer. St. Vincent always seems to have great critters from what I've read, we don't get as many frog fish and such in St. Lucia even though we are a few miles apart. The second eel I've seen on a few occasions at home and it's done the same thing, retreat into the sand instead of darting out like the spotted snake eels. I've also never seen that sea cucumber (your other thread) in St. Lucia. Nice find

I have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about in the message above, as I am completely ignorant on common names

I agree with Carol and think #1 is Ahlia egmontis.

My guess is that eel#2 is in the genus Callechelys, but I cannot be sure without seeing the whole fish. It is possible that it is a Short Tail Snake eel (Callechelys guineensis) but the head color looks different from what I am used to seeing, again a photo of the entire body would help.

I think #3 is Echiophis intertinctus.

I'm pretty sure that #3 is not Echiophis intertinctus - if you look at http://www.btinternet.com/~colin_ackerman/photogallery15.htm you'll see a picture of a Spotted Spoon Nose eel and it is very different.

Eel #3 has large round eyes and large round pupils, it also has protruding little teeth at the front of its mouth, as well as 'fangs' (sorry not a scientist - just a very interested bystander with an O'Level in biology!). It is a dark grey, and does not have very noticeable spots.

Hope that this info helps!

This a picture of a Snake eel that I took last year,I have posted it for comparison purposes

I have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about in the message above, as I am completely ignorant on common names

 

I agree with Carol and think #1 is Ahlia egmontis.

 

My guess is that eel#2 is in the genus Callechelys, but I cannot be sure without seeing the whole fish. It is possible that it is a Short Tail Snake eel (Callechelys guineensis) but the head color looks different from what I am used to seeing, again a photo of the entire body would help.

 

I think #3 is Echiophis intertinctus.

Found this random article about shorttail snake eels's with pictures that match those here and also my own recollections

http://www.bonairediveandadventure.com/the...tml#bubbles0602

Also here is a spotted spoon nose snake eel from St. Vincent.

http://reefnet.ca/gallery/2005_StVincent/I...ake+eel-03.jpg/

Might help

The photo you just posted is of a snake eel... But might be the much more common (at least in St. Lucia) spotted snake eel. The spotted spoon nose snake eel is much different

here is a spotted snake eel taken on a night dive

I do apologize for not looking closely enough at #3. You know it looks like it has been in a fight or something, right? Front upper jaw all messed up so at first I thought it was a burrowing conger - I've seen them burrow and look very different from the usual "conger" that isn't burrowing with much less color, more camouflage, etc.

But the nostrils match the Wilk's photo of the spotted spoonnose eel (Echiophis intertinctus) and that is more definitive. Note, I think the spots are really variable and can be camouflaged. Also in our area (Florida/Gulf of Mexico) there are the very similar snapper eel (E. mordax) and stippled spoonnose eel (E. punctifer) and it is even debated if one or both might actually be the spotted spoonnose eel (Echiophis intertinctus). So I think that species (Echiophis intertinctus) is variable.

So yes Luiz is right I think in his ID, sorry I did end up committing a "faux-pas", that's what I get for not looking close enough - but we did get the key worm eel..... , that is a cool eel and it is not commonly observed at all.

Send #3 pic to Les anyway as the Wilks have more bottom time in St Vincent than most anyone except of course Bill Tewes, etc. He will be able to be definite about #2 also.

Carol

I do apologize for not looking closely enough at #3. You know it looks like it has been in a fight or something, right? Front upper jaw all messed up so at first I thought it was a burrowing conger - I've seen them burrow and look very different from the usual "conger" that isn't burrowing with much less color, more camouflage, etc.

 

But the nostrils match the Wilk's photo of the spotted spoonnose eel (Echiophis intertinctus) and that is more definitive. Note, I think the spots are really variable and can be camouflaged. Also in our area (Florida/Gulf of Mexico) there are the very similar snapper eel (E. mordax) and stippled spoonnose eel (E. punctifer) and it is even debated if one or both might actually be the spotted spoonnose eel (Echiophis intertinctus). So I think that species (Echiophis intertinctus) is variable.

 

So yes Luiz is right I think in his ID, sorry I did end up committing a "faux-pas", that's what I get for not looking close enough - but we did get the key worm eel..... , that is a cool eel and it is not commonly observed at all.

 

Send #3 pic to Les anyway as the Wilks have more bottom time in St Vincent than most anyone except of course Bill Tewes, etc. He will be able to be definite about #2 also.

 

Carol

I think our Id's for 2 and 3 are very solid and don't think it might be worth spending their time looking over photos we basically all now agree on

Dear All,

Thank you for your input - I am blown away!

I contacted Les Wilkes and his response is as follows:

Hi Kay;

Nice shots!

Eel #1 is Ahlia egmontis (key worm eel)

Eel #2 is Callechelys guineensis (short tail snake eel)

Eel #3 is probably Echiophis punctifer (snapper eel). Although it

*could* be E. intertinctus (spotted spoon-nose eel), in our

experience, punctifer is quite common around St. Vincent while

intertinctus is not. They are very similar but punctifer has smaller

body spots.

Regards

Les Wilk

ReefNet Inc.

www.reefnet.ca

So I can now put names to my 'eely' good friends! I'll keep taking my camera with me, and see if I can get some better shots.

Thanks again!

Kay Wilson

Indigo Dive,

St. Vincent.

Skype: kay.deborah.wilson

www.indigodive.com