Jim Greenfield, Großbritannien
Info
Taylor's tube eel lives in burrows in muddy sandy bottoms and seagrass beds.
It occurs singly or in small groups, with group living offering significant advantages for each individual.
If a tube eel spots a larger animal or even a predator from a distance, all the eels retreat into their burrows in the ground almost simultaneously, and in most cases, the predators then move on without success.
The eels spend their entire lives in their burrows; so far, so good—if that were the case, the question arises: how then do tube eels reproduce?
Eichler and Myers
According to these researchers’ studies, tube eel reproduction occurs such that only neighboring individuals move toward one another through the sand.
However, the eels’ hindquarters are supposed to remain in their own burrows; it is unclear, however, how copulation or any other transfer of sperm is supposed to occur in such a situation.
Patzner and Moosleitner:
According to these two scientists, during the mating season, the males swim to the female tube eels and mate with them in their burrows.
How do the eels manage to stay in their burrows for so long?
The animals secrete a specific substance from a gland at the tip of their tails that solidifies the burrow and prevents sediment from sliding in.
Tubular eels can be successfully kept in an aquarium with a deep layer of sand by experienced aquarists; however, whether this also applies to Heteroconger taylori remains to be proven.
Very special thanks for the first photos of Heteroconger taylori to Jim Greenfield!
Please have a look to his great homepage British Marine Life / https://www.oceaneyephoto.com/
It occurs singly or in small groups, with group living offering significant advantages for each individual.
If a tube eel spots a larger animal or even a predator from a distance, all the eels retreat into their burrows in the ground almost simultaneously, and in most cases, the predators then move on without success.
The eels spend their entire lives in their burrows; so far, so good—if that were the case, the question arises: how then do tube eels reproduce?
Eichler and Myers
According to these researchers’ studies, tube eel reproduction occurs such that only neighboring individuals move toward one another through the sand.
However, the eels’ hindquarters are supposed to remain in their own burrows; it is unclear, however, how copulation or any other transfer of sperm is supposed to occur in such a situation.
Patzner and Moosleitner:
According to these two scientists, during the mating season, the males swim to the female tube eels and mate with them in their burrows.
How do the eels manage to stay in their burrows for so long?
The animals secrete a specific substance from a gland at the tip of their tails that solidifies the burrow and prevents sediment from sliding in.
Tubular eels can be successfully kept in an aquarium with a deep layer of sand by experienced aquarists; however, whether this also applies to Heteroconger taylori remains to be proven.
Very special thanks for the first photos of Heteroconger taylori to Jim Greenfield!
Please have a look to his great homepage British Marine Life / https://www.oceaneyephoto.com/
