NO. 4 MYERS AND WADE : NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF EELS 77 



PHAENOMONAS, new genus 



Genotype. — FhcBtiomonas pinnata, new species 



Body elongate, cylindrical, very wormlike. Head and trunk very 

 much longer than tail. A short, well-developed dorsal fin present, begin- 

 ning on the head in advance of the gill openings, its entire length shorter 

 than the head. No pectoral or anal fins present. Snout blunt, lower jaw 

 included, eye small, closer to angle of jaws than to tip of snout. Anterior 

 nostrils tubular, on underside of snout. Posterior nostrils on underside of 

 upper lip, inside the mouth, the pore covered by a flap of membrane. Gill 

 openings wide apart, vertical, and low on sides. All teeth uniserial, 

 pointed and close set. 



This remarkable little eel differs from all known Ophichthyid genera 

 in the brief, anteriorly placed, well-defined dorsal fin and in the absence 

 of all other fins. 



Phaenomonas pinnata, new species 

 Plate 12 



Holotype. — AHF no. 13. 



Type locality. — Station 856-38, Port Utria, Colombia, dredged in 

 15-30 fms., mud and sand bottom, February 25, 1938. 



Paratype. — One specimen, 233 mm.. Station 870-38, Isabel Island, 

 Nayarit, Mexico, dredged on coralline bottom, March 8, 1938. 



Measurements of the holotype in mm. — Length 221, head and trunk 

 153, tail 68, snout 2.5, eye .5, cleft of mouth 2.5, depth 3. 



Description. — Body very elongate, cylindrical, not compressed; tail 

 ending in a blunt, conical point. Depth of body in total length 73.66. 

 Head and trunk 1.44 to 1.47 in total length. Tail very short, 2.1 to 2.25 

 in head and trunk. Dorsal fin present, beginning half way between the gill 

 openings and the angle of the jaws, ending slightly less than this distance 

 behind the gill opening, its height about twice eye diameter. No anal or 

 pectoral fins. Lateral line lying in a slight groove anteriorly and on a 

 slightly raised ridge posteriorly, but this may be due to the preservation 

 of the specimens. 



Anterior nostrils tubular, on the under side of the snout, anterior and 

 lateral to the tip of the lower jaw. Anteriorly each nostril is recessed into 

 a pit ; posteriorly the tube is on the edge of the upper lip. Lying between 

 the anterior nostrils are two papillalike folds of skin, pointing backward 



