Pseudophichthys splendens
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Anguilliformes (True Eels)
Congridae (Conger Eels)
Pseudophichthys
Pseudophichthys splendens
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.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
When citing, please reference the original source rather than this page.
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Characters
Moderately elongate, with a swollen snout, anus at about two-fifths of length, and a rounded tail. Snout projects beyond lower jaw. Upper lip lacks labial flange. Anterior nostril tubular, near tip of snout. Posterior nostril elliptical, anterior to mid-height of eye. Snout 25-33%, eye 13-19%, mouth length 24-33% of head length. Head length 13-15%, predorsal length 17-22%, preanal length 35-40% of TL. Jaw teeth moderately small, conical, in moderately broad to broad bands. Intermaxillary teeth in several rows, not separated from maxillary teeth. Vomerine teeth in broad, elongate patch, nearly covering roof of mouth, extending to almost end of maxillary tooth band. Five infraorbital and three supraorbital head pores. Supratemporal pores absent. Branchiostegal rays 9, pectoral fin rays 10-13, lateral line pores to anus 33-39. Total vertebrae 130-136, predorsal vertebrae 13-17, preanal vertebrae 38-41, precaudal vertebrae 52.
Gray to brown, with abdomen and inside of mouth black, and vertical fins dark edged posteriorly.
Distribution
East coast of Florida to Central America, including the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies.
Habitat Associations
Tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, depth range 37-1647 m.
Biology
Maximum known size is 387 mm TL.
Found on muddy bottoms.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-02-28. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: bycatch.
References
Smith 1989f,k
Boschung 1992
Smith, D.G. (1990) Congridae. p. 156-167. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1.
Uyeno, T., K. Matsuura and E. Fujii (eds.) (1983) Fishes trawled off Suriname and French Guiana. Japan Marine Fishery Resource Research Center, Tokyo, Japan. 519 p.
Bañón, R., J.C. Arronte, A. Serrano and F. Sánchez (2011) First records of purplemouthed conger Pseudophichthys splendens (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the Galicia Bank (NW Spain). A northward range extension of their distribution in the eastern Atlantic. Cybium 35(3):262-264. DOI: 10.26028/cybium/2011-353-013
Comments On Pseudophichthys splendens