Lembeh Enigma

Can't find this ugly critter in any books I have. . Stephane and I came across this on a dive in Lembeh last month. Looks as though it has been skinned alive; quite bizarre even for a snake eel!

I think it is an Henshaw's snake eel (Brachysomophis henshawi) - BUT that eye?

It looks like a crocodile snake eel. I saw beige ones at Lembeh, and here's a link with a red headed one:

http://species.fishindex.com/photo_28501br...ocodilinus.html

Marli

Close Marli, but as cmd says the eye is the puzzler!

Looks like it's made of wax and melted!

I don't know Bob I looked at Marli's link and I thought the eye did look similiar. Unless I need to do a massive zoom on the eye to see what is really behind the eye if you know what I mean.

Attached is eye-shot of Brachysomophis crocodilinus (AFAIK - corrections to ID are welcome, too!) from Hawaii. So crocodile snake eel? Interesting variation in color in different areas/specimens!

Thanks JPS - That's the baby! Interesting to see such a big variation in coloUr.

Are you sure its not a discarded Cat's head left over from dinner??

Nothing would surprise me in Lembeh

It ain't the dog that floated/bloated by the one day...and he was not dog paddling anymore.

I knew we should have taken a picture.

You are not encouraged to spend much time at the surface there. That's for sure. Curious, though, that you'll spend all day just 10 feet below it.

You really know how to sell the place, Todd.

Keep it all to ourselves that way.

The crate of ear drops makes baggage limits challenging. I wonder if Eric has factored those into the equation yet.

Hi again,

I knew I'd seen this critter, and although I love to be right with IDs, I just found a photo in Roger Steen's Coral Reefs book (p.101)...same eye, same colour, same ugly mug, and it's Brachsomophis henshawi.

Cheers,

Marli