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Heterenchelyidae - Mud Eels


There are eight species in this family of eels. They are found in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and eastern Pacific Oceans. The are bottom dwellers and burrow in the mud. They are around 13-60 inches in length and have large mouths, no scales, and no pectoral (side) fins.
 

Classification

 Kingdom: Animalia 
 Phylum: Chordata
 Superclass: Osteichthyes
 Class: Actinopterygii
 Order: Anguilliformes
 Family: Heterenchelyidae

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct Not Enough DataNot Enough Data
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist.

U.S. Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Endangered in US Endangered in US Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife. Click on U.S. status icon to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife species profile.
  New Hampshire Status Key
Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in NH Endangered in NH Breeds in NH Breeds in NH (birds)
Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Location Key
Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH More Info Click for More Info picture Click for Image
atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Indian Ocean Mediterranian Mediterranean/Black Sea pacific ocean Pacific Ocean

 New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

 

   

Other Species Around the World

Fowler's Shortfaced Eel - Panturichthys fowleri Not Enough Data Asia Europe Mediterranian More Info
Panturichthys isognathus Africa atlantic Ocean More Info
Slender Shortfaced Eel - Panturichthys longus Africa atlantic Ocean More Info
Mauritanian Shortface Eel - Panturichthys mauritanicus Africa atlantic Ocean More Info

 

Pacific Mud Eel - Pythonichthys asodes Least Concern North America pacific ocean More Info
Longtailed Shortfaced Eel - Pythonichthys macrurus Africa atlantic Ocean More Info
Shorttailed Shortfaced Eel - Pythonichthys microphthalmus Africa atlantic Ocean More Info
Caribbean Mud Eel - Pythonichthys sanguineus  Least Concern North America South America atlantic Ocean More Info

 Additional Information

Resource Key
profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

Fowler's Shortfaced Eel - Panturichthys fowleri profile Photos Not Enough Data Asia Europe Mediterranian

Fowler's shortfaced eel is found in the Mediterranean Sea.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Panturichthys isognathus profile Africa atlantic Ocean
Panturichthys isognathus is found in the eastern Atlantic in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Africa.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Slender Shortfaced Eel - Panturichthys longus profile Africa atlantic Ocean
The slender shortfaced eel is found in the Gulf of Guinea from Benin to Angola in the eastern Atlantic.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Mauritanian Shortface Eel - Panturichthys mauritanicus profile Africa atlantic Ocean
The slender shortfaced eel is found on the continental shelf from Morocco to Guinea.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Pacific Mud Eel - Pythonichthys asodes profile Photos Least Concern North America pacific ocean
The Pacific mud eel is found along the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Panama.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Longtailed Shortfaced Eel - Pythonichthys macrurus profile Photos Africa atlantic Ocean
The longtailed shortface eel is found is found in the eastern Atlantic off the coast of Africa from Sierra Leone to Angola.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Shorttailed Shortfaced Eel - Pythonichthys microphthalmus profile Africa atlantic Ocean
The shorttailed shortface eel is found is found in the eastern Atlantic off the coast of Africa from Mauritania to Angola.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Caribbean Mud Eel - Pythonichthys sanguineus profile Photos Least Concern North America South America atlantic Ocean
The Caribbean mud eel is found is found in the western Atlantic off the coast of Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Source: Fish Base Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School