Common Name
Smallfin Worm Eel
Year Described
McCosker, 1985
Identification
Vertebral formula: 33 predorsal, 57 preanal, 178 total
Body elongated, with tail much longer than trunk. Body quite thin and compressed. Head broadens at throat. Jaws moderate and relatively wide with a conical snout. No papillae on head or lips. Anterior nostril a short tube. Posterior nostril covered in flap outside of mouth, above lip, and anterior to eye. Teeth are well developed but small. A single line of maxillary teeth. Vomerine teeth in a single row. Eight intermaxillary teeth. Lower jaw with a single row of teeth. Gill slit low on side and immediately below pectoral base. Dorsal and anal fins confluent (Myrophinae). Fins in groove. Dorsal fin origin behind pectoral tip at mid-trunk. Anal fin low. Pectoral fins minute; at upper edge of gill opening. Eye large and situated behind mid-jaw. Body pores minute. Head pores more apparent. Three preopercular pores.
Color
Body in preservative yellowish with a fine peppering of melanophores. Belly and throat whitish. Gut black.
Size
Holotype measures 40.7cm TL.
Habitat
Taken by bottom trawl at 393-451m.
Range
Only known specimen taken in the Lesser Antilles off Anguilla.
References
Hibino, Y., Kimura, S., & D. Golani. 2015. A new ophichthid species from the Red Sea of the genus Mixomyrophis, formerly known as Atlantic genus. Ichthyological research, 62(2), 184-188.
McCosker, J.E. 1985. Two new genera and two new species of deepwater western Atlantic worm eels (Pisces: Ophichthidae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (Series 4) v. 44 (no. 2): 9-15.
Other Notes
Hibino et al. (2015) mention additional larvae taken in the W. Atlantic that may belong to this species.