Hoplunnis tenuis
Spotted Pikeconger
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Anguilliformes (True Eels)
Nettastomatidae (Duckbill Eels)
Hoplunnis
Hoplunnis tenuis (Spotted 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 slightly beyond lower jaw. Snout is moderately elongate and conical. Posterior nostril is slitlike and located near midheight of eye. Jaw teeth are in two rows anteriorly and three rows posteriorly, with those of inner row larger than those of outer row. Intermaxillary teeth consist of three irregular transverse rows. Vomer has single series of teeth; first several are small and remainder are fanglike. Band of small teeth flanks series of large teeth on vomer. Pterygoid has series of small teeth. Snout is 3.5% to 4.1%, eye is 8% to 11%, and upper jaw is 51% to 59% of head length. Head length is 10% to 11%, predorsal length is 8% to 10%, and preanal length is 25% to 26% of TL. Branchiostegal rays number 7 or 8, pectoral fin rays number 9 or 10, and lateral line pores to anus number 35 to 38. Infraorbital pores number eight, supraorbital pores number five, and supratemporal pores number three. Total vertebrae number 232 to 244, predorsal vertebrae number 3 to 6, and preanal vertebrae number 36 to 38.
Color is light brown to tan, with small brown spots dorsally. Inner surface of branchial membrane is black. Vertical fins are edged in black posteriorly. Stomach and intestine are black.
Distribution
Western North Atlantic from New Jersey to the Guianas
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Depth range: 110 to 468 m
Biology
Maximum known size is 576 mm TL
Found on muddy bottoms (Ref. 26340).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-08-19. Resilience: Low (Assuming tmax>10).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
References
Lane and Stewart 1968
Hoese and Moore 1977
Smith and Castle 1982
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Smith 1989g,j
Boschung 1992
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Comments On Hoplunnis tenuis