Species: Cynoponticus savanna, Guayana Pike-conger

Cynoponticus savanna (Bancroft, 1831)

Guayana Pike-conger

Body moderately elongate, rounded at front, compressed at rear; tail ~60% of TL; head conical; snout short, blunt, projecting; eye well developed; front nostril tubular, directed forwards; rear nostril elliptical, in front of middle of eye; mouth large, ends just behind eye; lips without fleshy flanges; strong, heavy conical teeth in multiple rows on jaws; 3 rows of teeth on front of roof of mouth, center row of large compressed triangular canines; tip of lower jaw and its large teeth fit into notch under snout when mouth is closed; gill opening a vertical crescent, low on side, nearly meet on underside; well developed dorsal and anal fins confluent with tail fin, the dorsal origin just before the pectoral base; pectoral fin large; lateral line conspicuous, complete, opening through branches leading to several pores instead of simple pores, pores on head not apparent.

Dark blackish grey above, lighter below; pectoral fin black; dorsal and anal fins with narrow black edge.

Reaches 200 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms, in bays and estuaries.

Depth: 2-746 m.

Cuba to Brazil.