(Proceedings submission caseby-case

328 PrOCEEdINGS OF ThE CalIFOrNIa aCadEMY OF SCIENCES
Series 4, Volume 63, No. 9
eral-line pores above the branchial basket are abnormally distributed for an ophichthid; (Fig. 5); they
appear to be in pairs rather than equally spaced. The remainder of the lateral-line pores along the flank
appear to be normally spaced.
The new species would not be mistaken for any known ophichthid, on the basis of its elongate
body, extended lower jaw, minute dentition, its anterior nostril location, distinctive coloration, and its
lack of a pectoral fin.
we look forward to the capture of additional specimens of this remarkable snake eel.
aCKNOwlEdGMENTS
we wish to thank: Mysi hoang (CaS) for staining and clearing the gill arches of the holotype;
Erika Garcia (CaS) for photographing the gill arches; Katherine Piatek for assistance with the figures;
the staff of the California academy of Sciences (CaS) and M. Kawazu (Kyushu University)
and G. Shinohara (NSMT) for advice and assistance with specimens; and Tomio Iwamoto (CaS),
david Smith (USNM), and Yusuke hibino (Mie University) for reading a draft of this manuscript.
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