Hoplunnis macrura
Freckled Pikeconger
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Anguilliformes (True Eels)
Nettastomatidae (Duckbill Eels)
Hoplunnis
Hoplunnis macrura (Freckled Pikeconger)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Elongate, round in cross section anteriorly and compressed posteriorly, with pectoral fins present and upper jaw projecting beyond lower jaw. Snout moderately elongate and conical. Posterior nostril slitlike and located near midlength of eye. Jaw teeth in two rows, with those of inner row slightly larger than those of outer row. Intermaxillary teeth consist of one enlarged tooth flanked by one or two smaller teeth. Vomer has single row of greatly enlarged teeth; small lateral teeth occur only in small juveniles. Pterygoid teeth absent. Snout 32% to 40%, eye 9% to 11%, and upper jaw 50% to 57% of head length. Head length 11% to 12%, predorsal length 9% to 10%, and preanal length 22% to 23% of TL. Branchiostegal rays number 7 or 8, pectoral fin rays number 10 or 11, and lateral line pores to anus number 32 to 37. Infraorbital pores number eight, supraorbital pores number five, and supratemporal pores number three. Total vertebrae number 227 to 245, predorsal vertebrae number 4 or 5, and preanal vertebrae number 34 to 38.
Light yellowish brown, with small brown spots dorsally. Inner surface of branchial membrane is black. Vertical fins are edged in black posteriorly. Stomach and intestine are light.
Distribution
Western North Atlantic from the western and southern Gulf of Mexico. In the northern Gulf of Mexico, it has not been captured east of Pensacola, Florida.
Habitat Associations
Between 20 and 220 m
Biology
Maximum known size is 542 mm TL
Minimum depth reported from Ref. 37039.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-08-19. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
References
Ginsburg 1951
Lane and Stewart 1968
Hoese and Moore 1977
Smith and Castle 1982
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Smith 1989g,j
Boschung 1992
McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm (1998) Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Volume 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. University of Texas Press, Austin. 1112p.
Comments On Hoplunnis macrura