The solitary duckbill eel[1] (Nettastoma solitarium) is an eel in the family Nettastomatidae (duckbill/witch eels).[2] It was described by Peter H. J. Castle and David G. Smith in 1981.[3] It is a marine, deep-water-dwelling eel which is known from the Indo-Western Pacific, including Kyushu–Palau Ridge, the Philippines, Australia, and the Hawaiian Islands. It is known to dwell at a depth range of 415mto610mm (1,362feetto2,000feetm). Males can reach a maximum total length of 46.5cm (18.3inches).[2]
The species epithet "solitarium", meaning "solitary" in Latin, refers to the species' wide and isolated distribution in the Pacific.[2]