Dragon-eel

The dragon-eel is a fish that lives in the rocky cavities diffused in the coral reefs of the Saynué. Their distinctive feature is the ability to blow a jet of hot steam from the mouth for defense or attack. Furthermore, similarly to other moray eel species, they possess a toothed pharyngeal jaw which is used to immobilize their prey when they biting.

Geographic distribution

Dragon-eel is reported to be present only in the coral reefs of the Saynué, where it uses grottos and rocky cavities as its lair, slightly larger than its curled up body, therefore when it grows in size it moves into a larger lair.

Physical aspect

Equipped with a lithe and serpentine body, the Dragon-eel is considered by many to be a monstrous being, however it is a rather graceful creature in its natural habitat. The bright red body with yellow spots allows a good camouflage in the sulphurous waters of the Saynué thus improving its already excellent predatory skills. Having very small pectoral fins, or being totally devoid of them, it uses to move a long dorsal fin which starts immediately caudal to the head and merges with the caudal fins. The length of the body often exceeds one meter, and the weight can exceed ten kilograms. The legends of the sailors describe specimens so large that they could sink a sailing ship, however there was no documentation that proves their existence.

Ecology

The reproduction of the Dragon-eel is not very well known, but according to scholars, individuals are insufficient hermaphrodites with a reproductive cycle that, possibly, includes protogyny. Females are believed to lay large numbers of eggs in the open sea from which semi-transparent fry develop, only a small proportion of which reach adulthood. Dragon-eel have significant predatory habits, usually stalking crustacean and mollusks, althought they aren't apex predators been in turn preyed upon by Geysers' Turtles, who aren't affected by their steam .