Species: Myrophis punctatus, Speckled worm eel

Myrophis punctatus Lütken, 1852

Speckled worm eel

Moderately elongate, compressed; tail 58-64% of TL, its tip flexible; snout blunt, broadly depressed, without groove on underside; eye large, its size affected by sexual development, centered over top jaw; 1 pore behind upper ½ of eye; front nostril tubular, rear nostril under a flap, opening into mouth; lips without barbells; gill opening small; on underside; teeth small, conical, curved back, an outer ring of 9-10 teeth + several in center at front between top jaws, a front patch then 1-2 rows (usually 1 at rear) of 24-29 teeth on center of roof of mouth; top jaw with 23-25 close-set teeth in outer row, 6-12 longer, sharper, space teeth on inner row, sometimes 3-4 rows at front; lower jaw with outer row of 26-28 small, close-set teeth and an inner row or 3-row patch of 6-7 teeth; gill opening small, at lower corner of pectoral base; dorsal fin origin about midway between gill opening and anus, > twice head length behind snout tip; dorsal and anal confluent with tail fin; pectoral fin well developed, broad based; lateral line pores visible on head and trunk only, only a few behind anus, lines of each side of head connected by 2 canals with across top of head.