Species: Ophichthus mecopterus, Long-armed snake-eel

Ophichthus mecopterus McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Long-armed snake-eel

Moderately elongate; tail 63-65% of TL; head 11-13.5% of TL; eye moderate to large, about over middle of mouth; both nostrils tubular, rear nostril opens into mouth; a conspicuous barbel between front and rear nostrils, usually 2 barbels behind rear nostril; snout overhanging; mouth large; teeth conical, numerous, 1 row on roof of mouth and side of lower jaw, 2 rows on side of top jaw; gill opening vertical, semicircular; dorsal fin origin over pectorals; tip of tail a blunt, finless point; pectoral fins well developed, long, pointed, longer than mouth, with restricted bases - opposite and above upper half of gill opening; lateral line not abruptly arched at rear of head

(Preserved fish) Pale, snout, forehead, nape and upper surface of body to below lateral line with dense peppering of brown dots; flanks with about 10 irregularly spaced pale bars; head pores in black rings, but lateral line pores not; dorsal fin with faint dark margin; anal pale, faint dark margin on rear fifth; pectoral colorless, fine spotting on inner base.

Size: grows to 28 cm.

Habitat: benthic on soft bottoms.

Depth: 25-80 m.

The SE corner of the Gulf of California to Panama.