Gnathophis arabicus
Gnathophis arabicus Kodeeswaran & Karmovskaya, 2025

Family:  Congridae (Conger and garden eels), subfamily: Congrinae
Max. size:  25.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 450 - 600 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Arabian Sea, India.
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 133-138. This slender species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: lateral-line pores above pectoral fin are not elevated, pores before anus 36-41; SO pores 5, SO5 absent, SO6 present; total vertebrae 145 (143–146); vertebrae formula: 9-10/39-40/44-46/143-146; stomach pale and black posteriorly (Ref. 138427). Description: Colouration when alive: body pale brownish to grey, belly silvery to pale, with a pale line running along lateral line, belly milky white; ventral side of body is without melanophore pigmentation; dorsal and anal fins milky white with dark base; caudal fin and tail are dark; pectoral fin translucent with dark tinge and base dark; snout tip whitish, after which is darker; supratemporal canal, interorbital and preopercular portion are dark; anterior mandibular pores (first three) rims with melanophore pigmentations; stomach pale and black posteriorly, peritoneum silvery; gill-opening white' eyes bright with dark pupil surrounded by whitish iris (Ref. 138427).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.