Neenchelys pelagica

Taxonavigation: Congroidei

Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Unikonta Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Megaclassis: Osteichthyes Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii Infraclassis: Teleostei Megacohors: Elopocephalai Supercohors: Elopocephala Cohors/Superordo: Elopomorpha Ordo: Anguilliformes Subordo: Congroidei

Familia: Ophichthidae
Subfamilia: Myrophinae
Genus: Neenchelys
Species: Neenchelys pelagica

Name

Neenchelys pelagica H.-C. Ho, J. E. McCosker & D. G. Smith. 2015

• Holotype: NMMB P15556.

• Paratypes: CAS 231943; USNM 401022.

• Type locality: Tungkang Fishing Port, SW Taiwan, northern South China Sea.

• Diagnosis. A species of Neenchelys distinguished by the combination of the following characters: body moderately elongate, relatively cylindrical, body depth 2.8 to 3.1 times in HL, 28 to 31 in TL; dorsal fin origin at midpoint of trunk, 1.0 to 1.4 times in HL behind gill opening; predorsal length 4.3 to 4.8 in TL; HL 9.8 to 10.2 in TL; tail 1.5 in TL; pectoral fin well developed and relatively large, 3.8 to 4.6 in HL; total vertebrae 169; MVF 33-53-169. Cephalic lateral line pores 14; predorsal pores 36 or 37; preanal pores 56 or 57.

• Etymology: The specific name is from the Latin pelagica, in reference to its mesopelagic habitat.

Vernacular names

English: Pelagic worm eel

References

• Ho, H.-C.; McCosker, J.E.; Smith, D.G. 2013: Revision of the worm eel genus Neenchelys (Ophichthidae: Myrophinae), with descriptions of three new species from the western Pacific Ocean. Zoological studies 52: 58. DOI: 10.1186/1810-522X-52-58 Reference page. 
• Ho, H-C., McCosker, J.E. & Smith, D.G. 2015. Renaming of three recently described eels of the genus Neenchelys (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the western Pacific. Zootaxa 4060(1): 49–51. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4060.1.7. Preview (PDF) Full article (PDF) Reference page.