Long Toothed False Moray

Uniformly olive-brown in life. Body depth 27-31; HL 7.5 - 7.7 (Ref. 37816). Dorsal fin begins above or slightly anterior to the gill opening. Pectoral fin well-developed, rounded, almost twice eye diameter in length. Snout relatively deep. Gape moderate, rictus behind posterior margin of eye. Anterior nostril tubular, slightly behind tip of snout, directed anterolaterally. Posterior nostril a simple elliptical opening in front of middle of eye. Lateral line obsolete except for 2-3 pores in the branchial region (Ref. 40884).Description: Characterized by having long, slender and needle-like teeth; maxillary teeth in 6-7 irregular rows decreasing in size from inner to outer; mandibular teeth is similar to maxillary teeth in 5-6 irregular rows; vomerine teeth in single, irregular median row (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 340 - 373; Analsoft rays: 253 - 294; Vertebrae: 121 - 128

Inhabits seaward reef slopes.

The long-toothed false moray (Boehlkenchelys longidentata) is an eel of the family Chlopsidae which inhabits tropical reefs around the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, Ambon Island in Indonesia, and Fiji and Palau in the Pacific Ocean. It is the only species in its genus. The genus Boehlkenchelys is named for J.E. and E.B. Boehlke.