Flathead Eel

The flathead eel is a species found solely in the Undersea, known and named for its thin, curved head. Also known as spoonheads, this species hunts and eats fleshcarp and saltskin leeches. It makes burrows in the sand on the Undersea's floor, where it hides during the earthquakes that the region is known for. Though the species has an ugly and fearsome appearance, they are social creatures, living in large communities and relying on one another. They are one of a few non-sapient creatures that support other members of the species that have disabilities or mutations preventing them from hunting for themselves. Flathead eels take care of their injured and elderly, and flathead eels living in groups have a much higher life expectation than those that are solitary.

Anatomy

Flathead eels are wide and long creatures with eyes on top of their heads, which are oval-shaped and appear flattened. They have a slight downward curve to them, the outsides of their head downturned and leaving a concave gap in the centre. Their sharp teeth protrude from their mouths, jagged and pointed haphazardly in whatever direction the tooth decided to grow in. Its eyes are bulbous and more oval-shaped than spherical. They have a cloudy appearance, with barely-visible pupils that are ever so slightly darker than the rest of their eye. The eel has a jagged but fragile dorsal fin, which travels from just behind their head to the back of their tail, attaching to their isocercal caudal fins.

Geographic Distribution

• Undersea

Behaviour & Psychology

Flathead eels are highly social creatures, and there is plenty of research to suggest that lone flatheads are less healthy and happy than those living in communities. They hunt together, and they share the fruits of their labour with members of their species that are not able to join them in hunting. They have also been known to build shelters and protect members of the species less able to defend themselves, such as children, or the injured or elderly.