Eels, Squid, and Pufferfish - Oh My!

By Anonymous -
Meagan & Tim
Magnificent Species of Cozumel

Overview
While in Cozumel, we saw some pretty amazing underwater creatures. Some of our favorites included eels, puffer fish, and squid. These are each extremely unique organisms that were exciting to see in their natural habitats. Not only were these creatures fairly uncommon, they all live very special lives compared to most of the other organisms we saw. Underwater, we were limited to sensory observation and didn’t have the opportunity to talk openly about the details of what we saw until surfacing. Each of these creatures have incredible adaptations that make them unique and help them survive, which we’ll bring to light below.
http://www.tulum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/coral-reef.png
Eels
We were fortunate enough to see several variations of eels including the Green Moray (pictured), Spotted Moray, and the Goldentail Moray. Moray eels can be frightening to the typical observer. Not only do they have a snake-like appearance, they also have a mouth full of sharp teeth which they constantly open and close. This behavior is not aggressive, however. Eels do not have a bony operculum to pull water over the gills, and must open and close their mouths for respiration. Eels also do not have pectoral or pelvic fins. During the day, eels take cover in the recesses of rocks and coral reefs or burrowed in sand, often with their heads sticking out. At night, eels leave their homes and forage in the in the open along the sea floor. This explains the numerous sightings on the night dives vs. the occasional sightings during the day. The few that we saw during the day mostly hid in dark areas underneath rock coverings, but at night they were actively searching for food.
http://www.aqua.org/explore/animals/green-moray-eel
Puffer Fish
Puffer Fish are part of the family Tetradontidae, which includes many species of “inflating” fish. We saw the Porcupine Fish (aka Spotted Spiny Puffer). These fish have large external spines that are only visible when the creature is frightened and the body is inflated. Puffers are generally very slow moving, but are equipped with highly effective natural defenses. When irritated or provoked, Puffers inflate by rapidly sucking water into their stomach and thus expanding their body. The majority of Puffer Fish have toxic spines that carry a lethal neurotoxin, making them an undesirable prey for most animals. During one of our diving experiences, our dive master provoked a small pufferfish and proceeded to gently bounce it in the water. Although the tough spines on the fish protected it from harm, it is highly discouraged to touch any Puffer Fish, due to the risk for poisoning and the risk of removing the fish’s slimy protective coat, found below the tough spines.

http://www.animalspirits.com/index68.html
Squid
The squid is a very unique organism in the class Cephalopoda, and they possess eight arms as well as two tentacles. The squid is often transparent and can also change colors to blend in with its surroundings. They often hide during the day and come out to hunt at night. They move through jet propulsion by ejecting water from their bodies. We saw a particular squid on our night dive that was about 12-15 inches in length. It was mostly transparent, and it was clearly aware of the large group of divers observing it. The squid wasn’t in a rush to get anywhere, since it was likely beginning to start looking for its nightly prey, which mostly consists of other fish. It made a gesture of defense most likely because it was intimidated by us watching it, and it opened up its arms to make it appear larger than it actually is. Squid are also known to eject ink to disorient predators while they make their escape. We didn’t bother it quite enough to make it eject ink, but it was definitely wary of us.


http://www.ryanphotographic.com/images/JPEGS/Squid%20from%20kaikoura%20montage%20copy.jpg


Conclusion 
Although these organisms aren’t extremely abundant in the ocean at any given point, they play their own role in the ecosystem. The squid, pufferfish, and the eel each have unique strategies that they employ to escape predators and hunt for their own prey. Seeing each of these creatures interact with their environment in Cozumel was extremely interesting as they survived in their unique niches and create more diversity in the oceans.


Sources:
  • http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/pufferfish/
  • http://a-z-animals.com/animals/puffer-fish/
  • http://a-z-animals.com/animals/squid/
  • http://www.squid-world.com/squid-species/
  • http://a-z-animals.com/animals/moray-eel/
  • http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/specialfeatures/animals/fish/green-moray-eel.xml

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