Species: Scytalichthys miurus, Short-tailed viper-eel

Scytalichthys miurus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)

Short-tailed viper-eel

Body cylindrical, elongate; tail short, ~ 36% TL; head long, snake-like; snout pointed, flattened, angled down, overhanging; eyes small, at top edge of head, well forward of middle of long mouth; teeth slender, pointed, 2 series on top jaw, 1 on lower jaw; front nostril tubular, rear nostril inside mouth in upper jaw; gill openings crescent shaped, low on sides; pectoral fins very small, their bases restricted; tip of tail a hard finless point; dorsal origin well behind gill opening; lateral line along body and most of tail, pores conspicuous.

Pale yellow, 2 rows of large, round alternating dark spots on body, 1 along upper back, 1 (smaller spots) along lateral line; scattered small spots on sides and top of head, along lower jaw; fins all pale.

Size: 97 cm.

Habitat: sandy bottoms.

Depth: 10-85 m.

The Gulf of California to the Galapagos.