Common Name
Finless Eel
Year Described
Gilbert, 1891
Identification
Vertebrae: 137-145
Body elongate and cylindrical in cross-section. Trunk a little shorter than tail. Snout pointed and overhangs jaw. Underside of snout flat with grooves (short median groove well short of anterior nostril). Anterior nostril tubular on underside of snout. Posterior nostril opens near eye on upper lip. Eye small and towards tip of snout. Jaw downturned. Teeth small and uniserial. Maxillary teeth 17-23. Dentary teeth 18-27. Vomerine teeth 5-7. Gill openings low on body and converging anteriorly. Dorsal and anal fins absent. Pectoral and caudal fins absent. Tail tip hard and pointed. Lateral line complete (61-65 pores). Three sensory pores on back of head, three on preopercle.
Color
Body cream to tan. Slightly darker above and whitish below. Lateral line pale. Cream and dark blotches behind eye. Eye pale.
Size
Maximum size to 54.2cm TL.
Habitat
Sandy bottoms from 6-401m (usually 30-80m).
Range
North Carolina to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Bermuda.
References
McCosker, J.E. & Y. Hibino. 2015. A review of the finless snake eels of the genus Apterichtus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of five new species. Zootaxa 3941(1):49-78.
Other Notes
Can be distinguished from Apterichtus ansp by pore and vertebral counts.