Moringua edwardsi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moringua edwardsi |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Moringua
|
| Species: |
edwardsi
|
The Moringua edwardsi, often called the spaghetti eel, is a type of eel. It belongs to the family Moringuidae, which are also known as spaghetti or worm eels because of their long, thin bodies.
This interesting eel was first described by two scientists, David Starr Jordan and Charles Harvey Bollman, in 1889.
Contents
About the Spaghetti Eel
Spaghetti eels are marine animals, meaning they live in the ocean. They prefer subtropical waters, which are warm but not too hot.
Where It Lives
You can find the spaghetti eel in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. It lives in many places around the Caribbean Sea and nearby areas. This includes countries and islands like Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Florida in the USA, Venezuela, and the Virgin Islands.
Size and Appearance
Spaghetti eels have different sizes depending on if they are male or female. Male spaghetti eels are smaller, growing up to about 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long. Female spaghetti eels are much longer, reaching up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) in length.
What It Eats
These eels mainly eat small animals that live in the sand or mud. They like to find invertebrates (animals without backbones) that burrow into the seafloor.
Conservation Status
The spaghetti eel is found in many different places across the ocean. Because it lives in such a wide area and there are no big threats to its survival, the IUCN redlist says it is of "Least Concern." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
