Genus: Pseudomyrophis, False Worm Eel, Worm-Eels

PSEUDOMYROPHIS

WORM-EELS

Body moderately to extremely elongate (body depth 1-2.4% of TL), compressed; tail 61-65% of TL; snout broad, swollen, overhanging, without groove on underside; front nostril tubular, rear one an elongate slit before lower edge of eye; lips without barbells; teeth small, conical, sharp, 2-3 rows on front of roof of mouth, mostly 1 row on jaws; gill opening small, on lower half of side; dorsal fin origin at about mid-trunk; pectoral fin tiny; dorsal and anal fins confluent with tail fin; lateral line complete, lines of each side of head connected by 2 canals with across top of head.

A tropical genus that occurs only in the Atlantic (6 species) and eastern Pacific (2  species); 2 west Atlantic species in the Greater Caribbean.