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  • nostrils: front tubular, rear in mouth
    D origin over/behind anus
    tail tip flexible, C obvious
    Ahlia egmontis, Key-worm eel
    roof mouth - no teeth
    large pectoral
  • head large, fat, forehead concave
    eye low
    Aplatophis chauliodus, Tusky eel, Fang-toothed snake eel
    mouth oblique, large, front teeth v exposed
    tongue = fleshy lure
  • head smooth
    no groove under snout
    D origin on head, + A, - C, - pectoral
    pale + 3 dark stripes
    Aprognathodon platyventris, Stripe eel, Striped eel
    few teeth, none between top jaws,
    gill openings: converging slits, close together below
  • snout v sharp
    eye small, just behind tip lower jaw
    LL before anus 53-58
    top head pores 5
    Apterichtus ansp, Academy eel
    teeth: 27-36 upper; 28-35 lower
    vomer: 3-4 teeth
    no fins, tail tip = hard point
  • snout tip rounded
    eye large, well behind tip lower jaw
    LL 61-65 before anus
    top head pores 3
    teeth: 17-23 upper, 18-27 lower
    vomer 5-7 teeth
    no fins, tail tip = hard point
  • dark above, grades to pale below
    LL pores no pale spots
    pectoral width 36-86% gill opening length
  • strongly bicolored: dark over light
    LL pores not in pale spots
    Bascanichthys gaira, Colombian sand-eel
    pectoral = minute, triangular flap with filament, base 17-33% gill opening
  • dark above, abruptly pale below
    LL pores: dark at front, in pale spots at rear
    Bascanichthys inopinatus, Unexpected eel
    pectoral base 36-37% gill opening
  • dark above fading to pale below
    pale spots above LL pores
    pectoral fin width 17-35% gill opening
  • black + 3 white stripes
    D high
    tail < 40% TL, tip hard & finless
    Callechelys bilinearis, Twostriped snake eel
    no pectorals
    gill openings underneath
  • large dark spots, no saddles
    belly not spotted
    D (high) & A spotted
    tail < 40% TL, tip hard & finless
    Callechelys guineensis, Shorttail snake eel
    no pectorals
    gill openings underneath
  • small dark spots (except cheeks, mouth, snout )
    D (high) & A dark, pale edges
    tail < 40% TL, tip hard & finless
    Callechelys muraena, Blotched snake eel
    no pectorals
    gill openings underneath
  • large dark spots, saddles on back
    belly spotted
    D (high) & A spotted
    tail < 40% TL, tip hard & finless
    Callechelys springeri, Ridgefin eel
    no pectorals
    gill openings underneath
  • no groove under snout
    D origin on head, low
    tail slightly < 1/2 TL
    Caralophia loxochila, Slantlip eel
    nostrils: front = hole, rear in mouth
    teeth stout
    no pectorals
    gill openings under throat
  • 3 rows large spots
    D origin behind pectoral by < pectoral
    Echiophis intertinctus, Spotted spoon-nose eel
    preopercular pores not in dark spots
  • 6-8 rows small spots
    D origin behind pectoral by > pectoral length
    Echiophis punctifer, Snapper eel, Stippled spoon-nose eel
    preopercular pores in dark spots
  • very elongate
    no groove under overhanging snout
    D origin on head, before gill opening
    D & A reach near tail tip
    no C
    Ethadophis akkistikos, Indifferent eel
    teeth between top jaws inconspicuous
    front nostril tubular, rear inside mouth
    gill openings vertical, wide apart below
    no pectorals
  • v elongate
    front nostril - short tube
    tail < 1/2TL, tip fleshy, blunt
    no pectorals
    gill opening low
  • v elongate, body depth 0.8-1% TL
    front nostril nontubular, in groove
    LL pores 186-189
    tail < 1/2 TL, tip fleshy, blunt
    Gordiichthys irretitus, Horsehair eel
    front roof mouth - teeth 1 row
    no pectorals
    gill opening low
  • v elongate, body depth 1.1-1.2% TL
    front nostril nontubular, in groove
    LL pores 161-166
    tail < 1/2 TL, tip fleshy, blunt
    front roof mouth - 1 row teeth
    no pectorals
    gill opening low
  • v elongate
    front nostril non-tubular, in groove
    dark above, pale below
    tail < 1/2 TL, tip fleshy, blunt
    front roof mouth - 2 rows teeth
    no pectorals
    gill opening low
  • elongate (depth 3% TL)
    tail 60% TL, tip hard & finless
    eye over mid-mouth
    D origin well behind pectorals
    LL strongly arched on head
    Hyphalophis devius, Flabby snake-eel
    mouth terminal
    teeth minute, conical, top jaw - 4 rows
    pectorals large, narrow base
  • snout pointed, overhanging
    eyes minute
    no fins
    tail tip hard point
    nostrils: front = hole, rear in mouth
  • elongate (depth 3.3% TL); tail 56% TL, tip blunt
    eyes near snout tip
    D origin well behind pectorals
    Kertomichthys blastorhinos, Snub-nose snake-eel
    snout: short, depressed, club-shaped, overhanging
    mouth long
    jaw teeth: 2 rows, outer row = fangs; vomer 2 rows small teeth
    pectorals large, narrow base
  • snout very pointed
    front nostril = hole
    D (only fin) high, origin on head
    brown + pale blotches, D white
    tail < 1/2 TL
    tip = hard, finless
    Letharchus velifer, Sailfin eel
    gill openings underneath
  • elongate (depth ~3.3% TL); tail 54% TL, tip blunt
    eye near snout tip, protrudes above top profile
    D origin well behind pectorals
    Lethogoleos andersoni, Forgetful snake-eel
    snout long, straight, overhanging, tip curved down
    mouth long
    teeth long, conical, 3 rows top jaw, 2 rows on bottom, vomer 1 row large teeth
    D origin well behind pectorals
  • body 2.2% TL; tail 63% TL
    front nostril tubular; eye small
    snout conical, overhanging, not grooved
    D origin mid-body
    tail tip flexible; C visible, joins D&A
    Mixomyrophis pusillipinna, Mosaic worm-eel
    rear nostril before eye, in top lip, with flap
    teeth small, conical, single rows
    pectoral minute, visible
  • dark + round pale spots
    Myrichthys breviceps, Sharptail eel
    molar teeth
    pectoral: wide base
  • pale + dark-ringed gold ocelli
    Myrichthys ocellatus, Goldspotted eel
    molar teeth
    pectoral: wide base
  • 1 pore behind eye
    D origin behind gill opening by 1-2X pectoral length
    Myrophis anterodorsalis, Longfin worm eel
    roof of mouth: teeth in 1 row
  • 2 pores behind eye
    D origin midway between gill opening & anus
    Myrophis platyrhynchus, Broadnose worm eel
  • 1 pore behind eye
    D origin behind gill opening by > 3 X pectoral length
    Myrophis plumbeus, Leaden worm eel
    roof of mouth: 2-3 rows teeth
  • 1 pore behind eye
    D origin ~ midway between gill opening & anus
    Myrophis punctatus, Speckled worm eel
  • uniform dark
    D origin well behind pectoral
    tail < 65% TL
    Ophichthus cruentifer, Margined snake eel
    teeth: small, 2+ rows on jaws, center roof of mouth -1 row at rear
  • front nostril with tentacle
    small barbel on lip between nostrils
    uniform color, fin edges black
    Ophichthus cylindroideus, Tentacle-nose snake eel, Tentacle-nose eel
    2 rows teeth on jaws & center roof of mouth
  • Uniform color
    D origin over rear 1/3 pectoral
    tail 62-65% TL
    Ophichthus gomesii, Shrimp snake-eel, Shrimp eel
    center roof of mouth - teeth 2-3 rows
  • body - 16 faint saddles
    D edge dark
    D origin ~at pectoral tip
    tail 53-57% TL
    Ophichthus hyposagmatus, Faintsaddled snake eel, Faint-saddled snake eel
    center roof mouth - 1 row teeth
  • pores of head & LL in dark spots
    elongate
    tail 69-71% TL
    Ophichthus melanoporus, Blackpored snake eel, Blackpored eel
  • slender; tail 58-62% TL
    body: 1 row dark blotches =/> eye
    D origin well behind pectorals
    Ophichthus menezesi, Blotchside snake eel
    teeth small, conical
  • slender, tail 55% TL
    LL pores in dark spots; D edge & upper pectoral: black
    D origin immediately behind pectorals
    Ophichthus omorgmus, Dot-line snake eel
    teeth small, conical
  • flank - large spots, back - paired small spots
    head small spots
    D origin ~at pectoral tip
    tail 57-61% TL
    Ophichthus ophis, Spotted snake eel
    center roof mouth - 1 row teeth
  • head pores dark; LL row pale spots
    D origin ~at pectoral tip
    tail 51-56% TL
    Ophichthus puncticeps, Palespotted eel, Palespotted snake eel
    center roof mouth - 1 row teeth
  • body 14-15 dark bars
    D origin behind pectoral by < pectoral length
    tail 50-54% TL
    Ophichthus rex, Giant snake eel, King snake eel
    center roof of mouth - 2-3 rows teeth
  • body - 14 dark bars
    D origin behind pectoral by > pectoral length
    tail 48-53% TL
    Ophichthus spinicauda, Spinefin snake eel
    center roof of mouth - 1 row teeth
    rear pectoral - thickened rays
  • very elongate; tail <1/3 TL
    tiny eye
    D very short: head & front body
    pink
    Phaenomonas longissima, Short-maned sand-eel
    groove under snout
    front nostril tubular
  • head 6.9-7.8% TL
    body depth 1.5-2.2% TL
    D origin ~mid-trunk
    Pseudomyrophis frio, Slender worm eel
    pectoral tiny
  • head 9.5-9.7% TL
    body depth 2.1-2.4% TL
    D origin ~mid-trunk
    Pseudomyrophis fugesae, Diminutive worm eel
    pectoral tiny
  • head 5.2-6.1% TL
    body depth 1-1.5% TL
    D origin behind mid-trunk
    Pseudomyrophis nimius, Elongate worm-eel
    pectoral inconspicuous
  • snout: cónical, overhanging, groove underneath
    D origin behind pectoral
    body - 2 rows dark & red-brown ocelli; head - dense small spots
    tail slightly < 1/2 TL, tip blunt, no C
    Quassiremus ascensionis, Blackspotted snake eel
    jaw teeth pointed, 1 row
    pectoral tiny, base narrow