46: SYNAPHOBRANCHIDAE (CUTfHROAT EELS)
Genus Simenchelys Gill, 1879
Monotypic.
46.5 Simenchelys parasiticus
GiII,1879
Simenchelys parasiticus Gill, 1879: 27 (western North Atlantic); Goode
& Bean, 1896: 139*; Smith, SFSA No. 1093*; Castle, 1961: 16*.
Body strongly compressed behind vent; head 11, depth 11. Snout blunt;
mouth a small terminal transverse slit. Teeth few, broad, uniserial on
jaws, none on vomer. D origin over P tip. Gill openings small, oblique slits
below throat. Vertebrae 118-120.
Uniform grey to greyish brown, darker on edges of fins
and along LL. Reported to feed on the flesh of large fish and
probably also on dead fish and invertebrates. Attains 53 cm.
Known off the Cape in 1480 m; also from central East and
West Atlantic, New Zealand and Japan.
. . ~ . '. . '
.. . . . -.~ .' . '"--:-~ . . - ~ .
':~::"', :J~-~. "~~:~~."" . . . . . fo_'It", ... :
46.5 Simenchelys parasiticus: 48 em.
Genus Synaphobranchus Johnson, 1862
Four species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D origin above anus; D rays ca. 230, A rays ca. 230,
vertebrae 128-139; scales oval, 10Gsely packed ........ S. affinis
Ib D origin well behind anus; D rays ca. 270, A rays ca. 260,
vertebrae 142-151; scales elongate-oval, tightly packed .. S. kaupii
46.6 Synaphobranchus affinis
Gunther, 1877
Synaphobranchus affinis Giinther, 1877: 445 (Japan); Castle, 1961:
20*; Smith, 1968: 20*. Synaphobranchus pinnatus (non Gray): Smith,
SFSA No. 1089 (in part).
Head 7-8, depth 12.5. Teeth small, sharp, in bands on jaws; a distinct
intermaxillary patch of larger teeth; uniserial on vomer. Vertebrae 128139.
Uniform dark grey. Attains 52cm. Off Durban, in 475 m;
also from New Zealand, North Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and
Gulf of Guinea.
190
46.6 SynaphobrancflUs affinis: 47.5 em.
46.7 Synaphobranchus kaupii
Johnson, 1862
Synaphobranchus kaupii Johnson, 1862: 169 (Madeira); Castle, 1964:
37*; Robins, 1971: 166*. Synaphobranchus pinnatus (non Gray): Smith,
SFSA No. 1089* (in part).
Head 7-8, depth 16.5. Teeth small, sharp, in bands on jaws, in a distinct
intermaxillary patch of larger teeth, uniserial on vomer. Vertebrae 142151.
Dark purplish grey. Attains 80 cm. Off the Cape, in about
800 m; also from the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific .
46.7 Synaphobranchus kaupi: 44 em.
Family No. 47: NETTASTOMATIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Witch eels
Heks-palings
Body long, slender, tail narrow, even thread-like. Pectoral fins absent. Dorsal fin origin about over gill openings;
median fins continuous around tail. Gill openings small,
separate, ventrolateral. Mouth large; jaws produced, upper
sometimes with a delicate, fleshy tentacle. Teeth small,
multi serial on jaws and vomer. Lateral-line pores prominent, continuing onto head. No scales.
Dark grey to black, median fins black around tail. Adults
on or near bottom in 500 - 2 000 m; larvae in open ocean.
Some species attain 100 cm. All oceans, but of no commercial significance. Five genera worldwide, 2 genera and 2
species in our area.
KEY TO GENERA
la Rear nostril above rear edge of eye; no fleshy tentacle
on snout .............................. Nettastoma
Ib Rear nostril above front edge of eye; snout with a long,
fleshy tentacle at tip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Venefica
Genus Simenchelys Gill, 1879
Monotypic.
46.5 Simenchelys parasiticus
GiII,1879
Simenchelys parasiticus Gill, 1879: 27 (western North Atlantic); Goode
& Bean, 1896: 139*; Smith, SFSA No. 1093*; Castle, 1961: 16*.
Body strongly compressed behind vent; head 11, depth 11. Snout blunt;
mouth a small terminal transverse slit. Teeth few, broad, uniserial on
jaws, none on vomer. D origin over P tip. Gill openings small, oblique slits
below throat. Vertebrae 118-120.
Uniform grey to greyish brown, darker on edges of fins
and along LL. Reported to feed on the flesh of large fish and
probably also on dead fish and invertebrates. Attains 53 cm.
Known off the Cape in 1480 m; also from central East and
West Atlantic, New Zealand and Japan.
. . ~ . '. . '
.. . . . -.~ .' . '"--:-~ . . - ~ .
':~::"', :J~-~. "~~:~~."" . . . . . fo_'It", ... :
46.5 Simenchelys parasiticus: 48 em.
Genus Synaphobranchus Johnson, 1862
Four species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a D origin above anus; D rays ca. 230, A rays ca. 230,
vertebrae 128-139; scales oval, 10Gsely packed ........ S. affinis
Ib D origin well behind anus; D rays ca. 270, A rays ca. 260,
vertebrae 142-151; scales elongate-oval, tightly packed .. S. kaupii
46.6 Synaphobranchus affinis
Gunther, 1877
Synaphobranchus affinis Giinther, 1877: 445 (Japan); Castle, 1961:
20*; Smith, 1968: 20*. Synaphobranchus pinnatus (non Gray): Smith,
SFSA No. 1089 (in part).
Head 7-8, depth 12.5. Teeth small, sharp, in bands on jaws; a distinct
intermaxillary patch of larger teeth; uniserial on vomer. Vertebrae 128139.
Uniform dark grey. Attains 52cm. Off Durban, in 475 m;
also from New Zealand, North Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and
Gulf of Guinea.
190
46.6 SynaphobrancflUs affinis: 47.5 em.
46.7 Synaphobranchus kaupii
Johnson, 1862
Synaphobranchus kaupii Johnson, 1862: 169 (Madeira); Castle, 1964:
37*; Robins, 1971: 166*. Synaphobranchus pinnatus (non Gray): Smith,
SFSA No. 1089* (in part).
Head 7-8, depth 16.5. Teeth small, sharp, in bands on jaws, in a distinct
intermaxillary patch of larger teeth, uniserial on vomer. Vertebrae 142151.
Dark purplish grey. Attains 80 cm. Off the Cape, in about
800 m; also from the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific .
46.7 Synaphobranchus kaupi: 44 em.
Family No. 47: NETTASTOMATIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Witch eels
Heks-palings
Body long, slender, tail narrow, even thread-like. Pectoral fins absent. Dorsal fin origin about over gill openings;
median fins continuous around tail. Gill openings small,
separate, ventrolateral. Mouth large; jaws produced, upper
sometimes with a delicate, fleshy tentacle. Teeth small,
multi serial on jaws and vomer. Lateral-line pores prominent, continuing onto head. No scales.
Dark grey to black, median fins black around tail. Adults
on or near bottom in 500 - 2 000 m; larvae in open ocean.
Some species attain 100 cm. All oceans, but of no commercial significance. Five genera worldwide, 2 genera and 2
species in our area.
KEY TO GENERA
la Rear nostril above rear edge of eye; no fleshy tentacle
on snout .............................. Nettastoma
Ib Rear nostril above front edge of eye; snout with a long,
fleshy tentacle at tip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Venefica