Arrowtooth Eel

This species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of pectoral fin; dorsal-fin origin is slightly anterior to pectoral-fin base, predorsal length 10.7-13.1% TL; anus anterior, below tip of pectoral fin, preanal length 15.9-18.9% TL; very short trunk, 2.8-5.5% TL; intermaxillary teeth 2; compound teeth on vomer 4; single row of 9-11 large compound teeth on lower jaw; head pores: IO 4, SO 3; M 6; POP 0; AD 1, F 0, ST 0; lateral-line pores: predorsal 3-6, prepectoral 6-9, preanal 8-12, total 57-75, the last at posterior two-thirds of total length; MVF 8-14-124, total vertebrae 119-128 (up to 130 in Robins & Robins, 1989) (Ref. 106136).

Vertebrae: 119 - 130

Inhabits coastal waters. Prefers muddy bottoms, often off mouths of large rivers.

fisheries: of no interest

印度洋、太平洋及大西洋海域。臺灣主要出現在臺灣西南與東北海域。

數量多，但不具經濟價值，通常為底拖漁網所捕獲。

具胸鰭及尾鰭；體不具鱗；背鰭起點在胸鰭之前；上頷較下頷長；口裂超過眼之後緣；眼小；肛門至鰓裂之距離小於頭長；體長為體高之15.6倍，為頭長之7.4倍；尾長為頭與軀幹之6.7 倍；頭長為吻長之5.1 倍；吻長為眼徑之3.3 倍；前上頷骨齒二枚；上頷骨齒細小，形成齒帶；下頷骨齒一列，具8-10犬齒狀齒；鋤骨齒五枚；脊椎骨數119-130。體褐色，下方較淡；背、臀鰭為白色，但臀鰭後方明顯為黑色。(資料引述陳，2002)

屬底棲性魚種，多分布在100至400公尺之海底，為優勢魚種。以小型魚類、甲殼類及軟體動物為生。

Dysomma anguillare, the shortbelly eel, stout moray, mustard eel or arrowtooth eel, is an eel in the family Synaphobranchidae (cutthroat eels). It was described by Keppel Harcourt Barnard in 1923. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western Atlantic Ocean and Indo-Western Pacific, including the United States, Venezuela, South Africa, Zanzibar, and Japan. It lives at a depth range of 30 to 270 metres (98 to 886 ft), and inhabits muddy sediments in coastal waters and large rivermouths. Males can reach a maximum total length of 52 centimetres (20 in).

The shortbelly eel is of no commercial interest to fisheries.