checklist (pdf) - The Love Lab - University of California, Santa Barbara

California to Panama (Robertson and Allen 2002), including southern tip of Baja California (McCosker
and Rosenblatt in Fischer et al. 1995). To depth of 20 m (66 ft; McCosker and Rosenblatt in Fischer et
al. 1995).
Scytalichthys miurus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882). Shorttail Viper Eel. To 97 cm (38.8 in) SL (SIO 64-940).
Isla Guadalupe, central Baja California and southern tip of Baja California (McCosker and Rosenblatt
in Fischer et al. 1995) to Panama (Robertson and Allen 2002), including Islas Galápagos (Grove and
Lavenberg 1997) and Isla Cocos (Robertson and Allen 2002). At depths of 10–85 m (33–279 ft) (min.:
Robertson and Allen 2002; max.: McCosker and Rosenblatt in Fischer et al. 1995).
Family Derichthyidae — Longneck Eels
Derichthys serpentinus Gill, 1884. Neck Eel. To 40 cm (15.7 in) TL (Castle in Smith and Heemstra 1986).
Circumglobal; southern California to Chile (33°S; Fitch and Lavenberg 1968). At depths of 500–2,000 m
(1,640–6,560 ft; Charter in Moser 1996).
Family Muraenesocidae — Pike Congers
Cynoponticus coniceps (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882). Conehead Eel, Conger-head Pike Conger, or Red Pike Conger.
To 202 cm (79.5 in) TL (Robertson and Allen 2002). Lower Baja California to Ecuador (Robertson and
Allen 2002), including Gulf of California (Ruiz-Campos et al. 1998). At 6–100 m (20–328 ft) (min.: SIO
71-259; max.: Smith in Fischer et al. 1995).
Family Nemichthyidae — Threadtail Snipe Eels
Avocettina bowersii Garman, 1899. Smalleye Snipe Eel. To 52 cm (20.5 in) SL (Nielsen and Smith 1978).
Eastern and central Pacific; San Francisco, northern California (Charter in Moser 1996) to northern
Chile (19°44'S; Kong and Melendez 1991). Pelagic, at 92–641 m (302–2,102 ft; Charter in Moser 1996).
Avocettina infans (Günther, 1878). Close-spine Snipe Eel or Blackline Snipe Eel. To 80 cm (31.5 in) TL (Smith
and Nielsen 1989). Circumglobal, but almost exclusively in Northern Hemisphere; Japan (Hatooka in
Nakabo 2002); Commander and Aleutian islands and Gulf of Alaska (Mecklenburg et al. 2002) to central
Mexico, including Gulf of California (Charter in Moser 1996). Pelagic, far from shore, rarely over continental
shelf, surface to 4,571 m (14,993 ft) (min.: Charter in Moser 1996; max.: Mecklenburg et al. 2002).
Nemichthys larseni Nielsen & Smith, 1978. Pale Snipe Eel. To about 97 cm (38.2 in) TL (Mecklenburg et al.
2002). Eastern North Pacific from Washington (Mecklenburg et al. 2002) to central Mexico, including
Gulf of California, to Hawaii (Nielsen and Smith 1978). Mostly mesopelagic, far from shore, at depths
of 170–1,280 m (558–4,199 ft; Nielsen and Smith 1978).
Nemichthys scolopaceus Richardson, 1848. Slender Snipe Eel. To 145 cm (57 in) TL (Fitch and Lavenberg
1968). Circumglobal in temperate and tropical waters; Japan (Hatooka in Nakabo 2002); Gulf of Alaska
(Mecklenburg et al. 2002) to southern Chile (52°S; Sielfeld and Vargas 1996), including Gulf of California
(Charter in Moser 1996). Primarily mesopelagic and bathypelagic, sometimes over continental shelf,
surface (Mecklenburg et al. 2002) to 4,337 m (14,225 ft; Charter in Moser 1996).
Family Congridae — Conger Eels or Garden Eels
Ariosoma gilberti (Ogilby, 1898). Gilbert’s Conger or Sharpnose Conger. To at least 27 cm (10.6 in) TL (Allen
and Robertson 1994). Bahia Asuncion (27°06'N, 114°11'W), southern Baja California (SIO 51-96) to
Peru (Grove and Lavenberg 1997), including Gulf of California (Smith in Fischer et al. 1995) and Islas
Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). At depths of 1–53 m (3–174 ft) (min.: Robertson and Allen
2002; max.: SIO 91-98).
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