Species: Microdesmus lanceolatus, Lancetail Wormfish

Microdesmus lanceolatus Dawson, 1962

Lancetail Wormfish

Slender, wormlike, body height ~6.6% of SL; snout moderately blunt; small, conspicuous eyes on side of head; interorbital equal to eye diameter; front nostril a widely flared tube; rear nostril a raised pore; mouth strongly oblique, lower jaw heavy, protruding, strongly rounded; upper jaw extends to middle of eye; tongue rounded; teeth in 2 rows, conical and in irregular series; gill opening large (not tubular); one, long based continuous dorsal fin, XII, 56, fin originates before tip of a depressed pectoral fin; anal fin 0, 55 rays; dorsal and anal fins connected to tail fin; pectoral fin 13; pelvic fins minute, I, 3 rays, rays unbranched; tail fin pointed; body with a few minute, embedded, well separated scales; head without scales; no lateral line.

Pale straw; fins translucent; 2 prominent spots between the pelvic fins; 6 spots along rear of body at base of dorsal fin; small spots along anal fin from rays 5 to 54.

Reaches: 6.0 cm.

Habitat: Burrows in soft muddy and sandy bottoms in shallow waters.

Depth: 5-37 m?

The NW Gulf of Mexico.