Moray Eels Grab Prey With "Alien" Jaws

Much like the fearsome star of the Alien movies, moray eels have a second set of toothed jaws that drag prey into their throats, a new study has found.

In a series of experiments, scientists at the University of California, Davis, recently discovered that moray eels possess an extremely mobile set of jaws in their throat that they can project forward into their mouth to aid in feeding.

However, unlike the fictitious alien's second mandible, which it menacingly extended toward its prey, the eel's jaws are much more practical, said lead author and evolutionary biologist Rita Mehta. (Get fish pictures, sounds, news, and more.)

"The [jaws] are functionally specialized to grasp large prey and assist in swallowing," Mehta said.

Suction Feeding

Most fish catch their prey using a suction method. When food is within reach, a fish will rapidly open its mouth.

This motion expands the mouth cavity, creating negative pressure and drawing water—and the prey—down their throats.

But, suction feeding has several restrictions. For one, the method limits the size of prey that a fish can draw into its mouth. The technique also requires room around the fish's head to accommodate the space generated when it expands its mouth cavity.

These limitations can pose problems for species such as the predatory moray eel, which resides in the tight spaces and crevices of the oceans' coral reefs.

So instead of suction, the eels rely on strong jaws filled with sharp teeth to bite their prey.

Biting allows morays to feed on larger animals without having to expand their mouth cavity when stuck in the confining quarters of the reefs.

Though scientists understood how moray eels caught their food, exactly how they swallowed it remained a mystery until this recent study.