| Family: |
Moringuidae (Worm or spaghetti eels) |
| Max. size: |
45.4 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; marine; depth range - 40 m |
| Distribution: |
Central Pacific: Hawaiian Islands, Johnston Island; probably Easter Island and other islands of Polynesia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Vertebrae: 188-130. This species is characterized by the following: males with 118-122 vertebrae, females 122-130; lateral line pores posterior to gill opening in males 95-104, females 101-108; body depth 40-70 in TL; tail 3.0-3.4 in TL; head 12.5-17 in TL; eyes over posterior part of gape, in immature individuals are minute, in adults about 2 in snout length; at front of snout, anterior nostrils in a short tube; before upper part of eye, posterior nostrils a large aperture; teeth on jaws and vomer are conical and uniserial, the intermaxilla with 7 moderately large recurved teeth; dorsal fin origin about 2/3 HL posterior to anus; in immature eels, the pectoral fins are not detectable, in mature males about as long as gape; color in life of immatures pink to purplish pink anteriorly, pale yellow posteriorly, mature adults distinctly bicolored, dark gray above, white below, caudal fin partly blackish (Ref. 86689). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 22 November 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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