Genus: Nettastoma, Duckmouth Eels, Duckmouth Pikeconger Eel, Sorcerer Eels

NETTASTOMA

SORCERER EELS, DUCKMOUTH EELS

Elongate, cylindrical at front, compressed at rear, with a long slender, pointed tail; head and body <1/2 TL; a long narrow snout (no fleshy proboscis at its tip); jaws long and pointed, reach back under rear edge of eye; large eye; front nostril tubular, at front of snout, rear nostril opens above eye; top jaw overhanging; teeth conical, relatively small, in bands, a patch of teeth at front of top jaws, some exposed when mouth is closed; no pectoral fins; dorsal fin origin over or behind gill opening; dorsal and anal fins confluent with tail fin; lateral line complete, on head and body; top jaw with 9-12 pores.

A circumglobal genus with 5 species; 2 in our area, 1 trans-Atlantic species entering shallow water in our area.