A review of the finless snake eels of the genus Apterichtus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of five new species Author Hibino, Yusuke text Zootaxa 2015 3941 1 49 78 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3941.1.2 9a54c25b-e43f-4e60-881a-fd262e98310f 1175-5326 288211 ECDCBC06-96AC-4D91-9C24-7A0A30A3E375 Apterichtus moseri ( Jordan and Snyder 1901 ) Table 1 Sphagebranchus moseri Jordan and Snyder 1901 :864 , Fig. 14 ( type locality Suruga Bay, off Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan , holotype USNM 49729). Apterichtus moseri : Smith 1994 :36 . Diagnosis . An elongate species with: tail 1.9–2.1, head 14–18, and body depth 53–74 in total length; 3 preopercular pores and 5 (rarely 6) pores in supratemporal canal; anterior margin of orbit above or behind tip of lower jaw; teeth conical, uniserial on jaws and vomer; 5 vomerine teeth; body coloration in preservative pale with dark brown or dark orange blotches on preopercle and supratemporal, and smaller spots on body and tail, cephalic pores and lateral-line pores in conspicuous pale spots and MVF 66–143, total vertebrae 141–145 (n= 3). Size . The largest specimen examined is 498 mm , a female with unripened eggs. Distribution . A deepwater species known from western Japan and central eastern Japan . Specimens were captured using dredge and trawl between 111–240 m depth. Underwater photographs (KPM-NR 1359, 4192, 7819, 15506, 15698, 21679, 22559, 23605, 41744, and 61183) taken from the sandy bottom at Suruga Bay suggest that it might occur as shallow as 15–25 m depth. Remarks. Smith (1994:36) has clarified the depth of capture and the correct museum catalogue number of the holotype of this small, damaged (in 3 pieces) specimen. Smith was unable to ascertain the precise vertebral numbers of the holotype . We presume that it has 142 total vertebrae. Machida and Ohta (1993) reported upon and illustrated the second known specimen of A. moseri . The holotype has an additional right supratemporal pore. The 2 additional specimens that we examined have 5 supratemporal pores. We therefore presume that this is the normal condition. Material examined. 5 specimens , 149–498 mm TL, including USNM 49729, the holotype , ( 149 mm ), off Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Honshu Island , Suruga Bay, Japan , ~ 115 m . BSKU 65700, 395 mm , Tosa Bay ( 33°16.0’N , 133°37.4’E ), Japan , 131– 146 m . NSMT-P 104038 (formerly ORIUT –KT-8815-13-001), 498 mm , Kumano-nada Sea, off western Japan ( 34°15.96’N , 136°59.01’E ), 111– 114 m . NSMT-P 105671, 245 mm , Kii Peninsula ( 33°39.1’N , 135°6.4’E ), 200 m . WMNH 2010PIS 159, 448 mm , off Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan , 240 m .