Relevant synonyms None Misidentification None  photo : David Darom

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body very elongated, cylindrical, anteriorly, progressively more compressed toward the tail. Dorsal origin in front pectoral fin, anal fin origin close to one third of total length. Rostrum overhanging. Concial teeth with round tip, visible when mouth closed. color : body grey with black edges on dorsal and anal fin. size : common 40 - 50 cm (max. 58 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Muraenidae, Heterenchelyidae and most Ophichthidae: pectoral fin absent. Anguillidae: dorsal fin origin well behind pectoral fin. Other Congridae and Ophichthidae (with pectoral): teeth are not visible when mouth closed. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Unknown. habitat : benthic muddy and sandy substrate at 50 m Mediterranean. (In the Red Sea at depths of 100 - 500 m).

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Israel, 1993. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Red Sea endemic. Mediterranean : a single specimen collected in Israel (Ben-Tuvia, 1993). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very rare. speculated reasons for success : the presumably long pelagic larval stage may enable the crossing of long distances. MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Ben-Tuvia A., 1993. A review of the Indo-West Pacific congrid fishes of genera Rhynchoconger and Bathycongrus with the description of three new species. Israel Journal of Zoology, 39:349-370. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: March 2001 ©ciesm 2002