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Family: MORINGUIDAE, Spaghetti Eels


All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

elongate
eye small
D & A at rear, joined to C
head pores - lower jaw only
LL complete or ends over anus

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FAMILY MORINGUIDAE

SPAGHETTI EELS

Spaghetti eels, which reach only 50 cm, have extremely elongate bodies; small eyes; mouth moderate, ends a little past eye; gill openings low on the sides; small pectoral fins; dorsal and anal fins present as low folds at the rear of the tail and confluent with the tail fin; lateral line complete on body; head pores only on lower jaw.

These eels burrow headfirst in soft sediments.The family, with 2 genera and 15 species, occurs in tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific and west Atlantic. A single (endemic) species is known from the eastern Pacific.