Nettenchelys proxima Smith, Lin & Chen, 2015

Family:  Nettastomatidae (Duckbill eels)
Max. size:  25.1 cm TL (female)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 300 - 412 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Taiwan and possibly the Philippines.
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 185. This species is distinguished from all other species in the genus except N. gephyra and N. pygmaea in having an enlarged median series of teeth at the anterior end of the vomer; differs from N. gephyra in having the posterior nostril immediately behind the eye (approximately midway between eye and supratemporal canal in N. gephyra), with PCV 78 (vs. 79-101 in N. gephyra, but 91-101 in specimens from Taiwan), and with IO pores 9 + 2 (vs. 8–9 + 3–4 in N. gephyra); differs from N. pygmaea in its larger size, 25.1 cm in the holotype, an immature female, (vs. 20.1 cm for the largest known N. pygmaea and 15.1 cm for a mature female), with slight differences in some meristic and morphometric characters (Ref. 106144).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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