Cutthroat eel explained

Cutthroat eels are a family, Synaphobranchidae, of eels, the only members of the suborder Synaphobranchoidei. They are found worldwide in temperate and tropical seas.^{[1] [2]}

Cutthroat eels range from 23to in length. They are bottom-dwelling fish, found in deep waters down to about 3700m (12,100feet).^[3] They are distinguished by the presence of telescopic eyes in the larvae. In some classifications (for example, ITIS), this family is split, with Simenchelys in its own family, the Simenchelyidae.

Subfamilies and genera

Cutthroat eels are classified into the following subfamilies and genera:

• Subfamily Simenchelyinae Gill, 1879 (pugnose parasitic eels)
  • Simenchelys Gill, 1879
• Subfamily Ilyophinae D. S. Jordan & Davis, 1891 (arrowtooth eels or mustard eels)
  • Atractodenchelys C.H. Robins & C. R. Robins, 1970
  • Dysomma Alcock, 1889
  • Dysommina Ginsburg, 1951
  • Ilyophis Gilbert, 1891
  • Linkenchelys D. G. Smith, 1989
  • Meadia Böhlke, 1951
  • Thermobiotes Geistdoerfer, 1991
• Subfamily Synaphobranchinae J. Y. Johnson, 1862 (cutthroat eels)
  • Diastobranchus Barnard, 1923
  • Haptenchelys C. H. Robins & D. M. Martin, 1976
  • Histiobranchus Gill, 1883
  • Synaphobranchus J. Y. Johnson, 1862

Notes and References

1. News: eel fish. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2017-05-15. en.
2. Web site: Marine Species Identification Portal : Cutthroat eels - Family Synaphobranchidae. species-identification.org. en. 2017-05-15.
3. Book: Paxton, J.R. . Eschmeyer, W.N. . McCosker, John F.. 1998. Encyclopedia of Fishes. Academic Press. San Diego. 90. 0-12-547665-5.