Grey cutthroat eel
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Synaphobranchus affinis Günther, 1877 |
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 Range map
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The grey cutthroat eel, Synaphobranchus affinis, is a cutthroat eel, the only species in the genus Synaphobranchus. It is found around the world at depths below 1,000 m. Its length is up to 160 cm.
The grey cutthroat eel is a moderately deep-bodied eel with a pointed snout, with both the dorsal and anal fins beginning about a third of the way from the front of the body. The gill appertures are short horizontal slits low on the body that join together beneath the throat. The mouth has many rows of small teeth, with larger teeth on the vomer on the roof of the mouth. Scale arrangement is similar to that of the basketwork eel.
The colour is a uniform grey to grey-brown with black edges to the fins.
Very little else is known.
[edit] References
- Synaphobranchus affinis (TSN 161580). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 19 March 2006.
- "Synaphobranchus affinis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
