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oregon
07-30-2008, 08:53 AM
These serrations appear to be used for gripping and puncturing, not cutting, by this eel photographed at the viewing window under Bonneville Dam (the final downstream dam on this mighty river), Washington State side, on the Columbia River.

Eel mouth, close up:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P112070a1.jpg

Eel mouth, not so close up:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P1120701.jpg

sidebar: I had to use a kerchief to clean off the glass but still couldn't get a really clear photo of this critter with flash or no flash. What I really wanted to photo was the run of Sockeyes but no candidates presented themselves while I was present yesterday. Also, an armed guard questioned me and inspected our car's trunk prior to circuitous admittance to this federal facility.

Also, there is a trick to actually seeing the fish swim up the fish ladder. The last rise, about one foot high, to the highest level of the ladder, is clear (no white water) so you can see the fish swim over this last hurdle and sometimes breach the surface in doing so. Although, you may see some fish swimming in the white water of rest of the fish ladder, this one viewing spot is a sure thing. I wonder if the fish thinks there is another step at this point when they breach the surface at the top of this last step.

Salmon:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P1120682.jpg

Bonneville Dam:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P1120631.jpg

Osprey (AKA Fish Hawk) flying above discharge:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P1120566.jpg

Osprey with live fish flying near high-power lines, at distance, soon to persued by other Osprey in aerial combat up and down the river for posession of the fish:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P1120625.jpg

Beacon Rock, billed as the 2nd biggest monolith in the world, near the dam, stairway with handrails to the top, something under 900 ft vertical rise, a real nice hike (three other hikes nearby: Munra Point, Table Mt. and Hamilton Mt.):
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/oregun/P1120820.jpg

oregon

The Mastiff
07-30-2008, 09:39 AM
Those Lamprey eels are disgusting parasites. Like big leeches they attach themselves to fish and suck the life out of them. If I'm not mistaken they are not a native species but have been brought here by international shipping. I've seen pictures of them on lake trout in the great lakes also. Joe

oregon
07-30-2008, 10:13 AM
Those Lamprey eels Joe

I've never seen one actually on a fish. A real live monster of the deep.

I think that the complicated oral cavity has a serrated cutting edge, probably slices open the host once the eel attaches to a good spot. See it on the right of center. It kinda looks like a rough tooth.

oregon

Qrt
07-30-2008, 12:54 PM
I like the bonneville dam serrations the most :)