50.2 Neocyema erythrosoma
Castle, 1978
Neocyema erythrosoma Castle, 1978: 70, Figs. 1-4, 7-9 (South Atlantic:
37°S,5°E).
Body somewhat arrow-shaped; jaws not much elongated. Nostrils quite
separate, above upper lip; eye deep under skin and much reduced. Vertebrae 101-108.
Body bright red. Attains 16 cm. A distinctive midwater
species known from only 2 specimens taken west of Cape
Town in 2 000 - 2 200 m.
50.2 Neocyema erythrosoma: 14 em.
Family No. 51: NEMICHTHYIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Snipe eels
Snippalings
Body extremely long, even filamentous, delicate.
Pectoral fins present. Dorsal fin origin more or less over
pectoral; anus far forwards, somewhat behind or nearly
under pectoral base; median fins continuous around tail.
Jaws greatly produced forwards, and typically curving
apart, but in mature males the jaws are greatly shortened.
Teeth, minute, in many rows, forming rasp-like surfaces on
jaws and vomer. Lateral line and head pores conspicuous.
No scales.
Uniform brownish-black or with scattered pigment,
above or below lateral line. Attains 120 cm. Snipe eels are
mesopelagic fishes captured from the surface down to 2 000
m or more . No commercial significance. Three genera and 8
species worldwide; 2 genera and 4 species in our area. Comprehensively reviewed by Nielsen & Smith (1978). Predorsal and preanal distances are measured from rear edge of
orbit to dorsal and anal fin origins respectively.
KEY TO GENERA
1a LL of a single row of pores; anus about a head length
behind P base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A vocettina
1b LL of3 rows of pores; anus almost directly below
P base . . .. .. ................ . .... . . . . Nemichthys
Genus Avocettina Jordan & Davis, 1892
No caudal filament; elongate sensory ridges behind eyes;
anus well behind P. Four species; 2 in our area.
51: NEMICHTHYIDAE (SNIPE EELS)
KEY TO SPECIES
1a LL pores 198-216; predorsaI27-35% of preanal; Drays
325-436; A rays 280-368 ... . ... .. ........... A. acuticeps
lb LL pores 176-188; predorsaI17-25% of preanal; Drays
254-297; A rays 218-257 ..... ... . .. ..... . .. A. paucipora
51.1 Avocettina acuticeps
(Regan, 1916)
Leptocephalus acuticeps Regan, 1916: 140, PI. 7, Fig. 5 (larva , South
Atlantic). Avocettina infans (non Giinther): Smith, SFSA No. 1108 (in
part); Grindley & Penrith, 1965: 283; Hulley, 1972: 232. Borodinula infans (non Giinther) : Castle, 1969: 18. Avocettina acuticeps: Nielsen &
Smith, 1978: 31* .
D origin over P. Vertebrae 198-216.
Dark brown to black. Attains 77 cm. Known offshore
from the Cape to Natal; also from Brazil, northern New
Zealand and equatorial Pacific.
51.2 Avocettina paucipora
Nielsen & Smith, 1978
Avocettina infans (non Giinther) : Smith, SFSA No. 1108 (in part) .
Avocettina paucipora Nielsen & Smith, 1978: 33 , Fig. 19 (New Zealand).
D origin over P. Vertebrae 176-188.
Dark brown to black. Attains 55 cm. One specimen off
Durban; also from southwest Atlantic, South Indian and
South Pacific oceans.
51.2 Avocettina paucipora: 51 em.
Genus Nemichthys Richardson, 1848
Tail greatly attenuated, filamentous in females; no sensory ridges on head; anus under P. Three species; 2 in our
area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Body pale with large melanophores on belly and
subcutaneous, vertical black lines between vertebrae ;
postorbital pores 5-14; preopercular pores 2-6 . . . . N. curvirostris
1b Body dark brown or grey; postorbital pores 3-20,
preopercular pores 2-18 ... .. .... .. ....... N. scolopaceus
193
Castle, 1978
Neocyema erythrosoma Castle, 1978: 70, Figs. 1-4, 7-9 (South Atlantic:
37°S,5°E).
Body somewhat arrow-shaped; jaws not much elongated. Nostrils quite
separate, above upper lip; eye deep under skin and much reduced. Vertebrae 101-108.
Body bright red. Attains 16 cm. A distinctive midwater
species known from only 2 specimens taken west of Cape
Town in 2 000 - 2 200 m.
50.2 Neocyema erythrosoma: 14 em.
Family No. 51: NEMICHTHYIDAE
by P.H.J. Castle
Snipe eels
Snippalings
Body extremely long, even filamentous, delicate.
Pectoral fins present. Dorsal fin origin more or less over
pectoral; anus far forwards, somewhat behind or nearly
under pectoral base; median fins continuous around tail.
Jaws greatly produced forwards, and typically curving
apart, but in mature males the jaws are greatly shortened.
Teeth, minute, in many rows, forming rasp-like surfaces on
jaws and vomer. Lateral line and head pores conspicuous.
No scales.
Uniform brownish-black or with scattered pigment,
above or below lateral line. Attains 120 cm. Snipe eels are
mesopelagic fishes captured from the surface down to 2 000
m or more . No commercial significance. Three genera and 8
species worldwide; 2 genera and 4 species in our area. Comprehensively reviewed by Nielsen & Smith (1978). Predorsal and preanal distances are measured from rear edge of
orbit to dorsal and anal fin origins respectively.
KEY TO GENERA
1a LL of a single row of pores; anus about a head length
behind P base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A vocettina
1b LL of3 rows of pores; anus almost directly below
P base . . .. .. ................ . .... . . . . Nemichthys
Genus Avocettina Jordan & Davis, 1892
No caudal filament; elongate sensory ridges behind eyes;
anus well behind P. Four species; 2 in our area.
51: NEMICHTHYIDAE (SNIPE EELS)
KEY TO SPECIES
1a LL pores 198-216; predorsaI27-35% of preanal; Drays
325-436; A rays 280-368 ... . ... .. ........... A. acuticeps
lb LL pores 176-188; predorsaI17-25% of preanal; Drays
254-297; A rays 218-257 ..... ... . .. ..... . .. A. paucipora
51.1 Avocettina acuticeps
(Regan, 1916)
Leptocephalus acuticeps Regan, 1916: 140, PI. 7, Fig. 5 (larva , South
Atlantic). Avocettina infans (non Giinther): Smith, SFSA No. 1108 (in
part); Grindley & Penrith, 1965: 283; Hulley, 1972: 232. Borodinula infans (non Giinther) : Castle, 1969: 18. Avocettina acuticeps: Nielsen &
Smith, 1978: 31* .
D origin over P. Vertebrae 198-216.
Dark brown to black. Attains 77 cm. Known offshore
from the Cape to Natal; also from Brazil, northern New
Zealand and equatorial Pacific.
51.2 Avocettina paucipora
Nielsen & Smith, 1978
Avocettina infans (non Giinther) : Smith, SFSA No. 1108 (in part) .
Avocettina paucipora Nielsen & Smith, 1978: 33 , Fig. 19 (New Zealand).
D origin over P. Vertebrae 176-188.
Dark brown to black. Attains 55 cm. One specimen off
Durban; also from southwest Atlantic, South Indian and
South Pacific oceans.
51.2 Avocettina paucipora: 51 em.
Genus Nemichthys Richardson, 1848
Tail greatly attenuated, filamentous in females; no sensory ridges on head; anus under P. Three species; 2 in our
area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Body pale with large melanophores on belly and
subcutaneous, vertical black lines between vertebrae ;
postorbital pores 5-14; preopercular pores 2-6 . . . . N. curvirostris
1b Body dark brown or grey; postorbital pores 3-20,
preopercular pores 2-18 ... .. .... .. ....... N. scolopaceus
193