Genus: Aplatophis, Snake-Eels

APLATOPHIS

SNAKE-EELS

Body stout, not elongate, compressed at rear; head and trunk slightly longer than tail (51-54% of TL); snout short, upper profile concave; a short barbel below eye; eye small, low on head above and a little before middle of mouth; front nostril tubular, rear nostril a tube before and beneath eye, may open inside mouth; mouth large, oblique, jaws elongate, the lower one projecting; tongue developed as a fleshy lure; front teeth developed as very large fangs extending outside mouth when closed; jaw teeth in two rows, teeth on roof of mouth few, a single series that joins those at front of jaws, front teeth exposed when mouth is closed; gill opening vertical, elongate, on side; dorsal fin origin behind pectoral tips; tail tip blunt; pectoral fins pointed, with narrow base; lateral line complete, lines of each side of head connected by 2 canals with across top of head.

A neotropical genus with one west Atlantic species and one species endemic to our region.