Species: Heteroconger longissimus, Brown Garden Eel

Heteroconger longissimus Gunther, 1870

Brown Garden Eel

Body very elongate, compressed; tail much longer than head and trunk; head short, snout very short (< eye); mouth very short (not reaching rear of eye), oblique, lower jaw only a little projecting; teeth in broad bands an jaw and roof of mouth; top lip flanges continuous across front of snout and enclosing front (tubular) nostrils; rear nostril a hole before eye; pectoral fins tiny (much smaller than eye) skin flaps; tip of tail stiff, with obvious but small tail fin; dorsal and anal fins continuous with the tail fin; 158-168 vertebrae; numerous pores on lateral line.

Front 2/3 of head and body dark brown, flecked with numerous small pale spots, grading to yellow at rear; belly and throat white, iris brown upper half, white lower half; dorsal fin white.

Reaches 51 cm.

Lives in burrows on sandy bottoms.

Depth range: 10-60 m.

E and W Atlantic; Bermuda toBrazil.