Genus: Ethadophis, Ordinary Snake-Eels

ETHADOPHIS

ORDINARY SNAKE-EELS

Very elongate (body depth 1.5-2% of TL); head compressed; body cylindrical at front, compressed at rear; tail 38-49% of TL; snout rounded, overhanging, without a median longitudinal groove on underside; front nostril in a short tube near tip of snout, rear nostril inside mouth just before eye, in a short tube with a front flap; eye small, over central 1/3 of mouth; teeth small, conical, pointed, in single series on jaws and roof of mouth, central front teeth exposed under overhanging snout, but not conspicuous; gill openings crescent shaped, vertical, low on sides, widely separated under throat; gill pouch expanded; dorsal and anal fins forming ridges below the skin; dorsal fin origin on head, well before gill opening; no pectorals; tip of tail finless, blunt and fleshy; skin smooth, with papillae on front of head and tip of tail; lateral line complete, lines of each side of head connected by 2 canals with across top of head.

A genus with 5 known species that occurs on both sides of the Atlantic as well as the eastern Pacific. There are two species in the eastern Pacific. As both are known only from holotypes that were collected just outside the limits of the tropical eastern Pacific they are included here because they probably are more widespread.