A video of a snake-shaped animal hunting a crab went viral on the internet this week. The predator was mistaken for a sea serpent: in fact, it is a moray eel, an “angiliform” fish.

Biologist Enrique from O Biologista das Cobras posted a video explaining the attack. Check it out below:

The footage shows how the fish quickly climbs the rock and hunts for crab.

According to biologist Enrique, the angular fish are shaped like snakes. The body of these species has a cylindrical shape, like vipers and rattlesnakes, such as eels.

There are many fish that can be confused with snakes. According to the Brazilian Society of Zoology, the order Anguilliformes consists of 15 families with approximately 791 species.

Moreia provides food after climbing the cliff – Photo: Biologista Henrique/Disclosure/ND

Snake

There are fish that are mistaken for snakes, but there are also snakes that pretend to be another kind of snake to ward off predators. This is the case of Boipevaçu (Hydrodynastes gigas), which has been seen to puff out its head like a cobra to ward off seriemas, the birds that prey on them. The story can be viewed at this link.