Myrophinae, the worm eels, is a subfamily of ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ophichthidae, which also includes the snake eels in the subfamily Ophichthinae.
Taxonomy Myrophinae was first proposed as a subfamily by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup in 1856. It is one of two subfamilies, alongside the subfamily Ophichthinae in the family Ophichthidae, which is classified within the suborder Congroidei within the eel order Anguilliformes.
Genera The Myrophinae contains the following genera: Ahlia D. S. Jordan & Davis, 1891 Asarcenchelys McCosker, 1985 Benthenchelys Fowler, 1934 Glenoglossa McCosker, 1982 Mixomyrophis McCosker, 1985 Muraenichthys Bleeker, 1853 Myrophis Lütken, 1852 Neenchelys Bamber, 1915 Pseudomyrophis Wade, 1946 Pylorobranchus McCosker & H.-M. Chen, 2012 McCosker, J.E., Loh, K.-H., Lin, J. & Chen, H.-M. (2012): Pylorobranchus hoi, a New Genus and Species of Myrophine Worm-Eel from Taiwan (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). Zoological Studies, 51 (7): 1188-1194. Schismorhynchus McCosker, 1970 Schultzidia Gosline, 1951 Scolecenchelys Ogilby, 1897 Skythrenchelys Castle & McCosker, 1999 Sympenchelys Hibino, H. C. Ho & Kimura, 2015 Hibino, Y., Ho, H.-C. & Kimura, S. (2015): A new genus and species of worm eels, Sympenchelys taiwanensis (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae: Myrophinae), from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Zootaxa, 4060 (1): 41–48.
Characteristics Myrophinae, the worm eels, are characterised by having construicted gill openings which are located in the mid flank benhind the head. They have obvious caudal fin raysand these are joined to the anal and dorsal fins. The tip of the tail is flexible, a pectoral fins may be present or they may be absent. The colouration is uniform, although they are often darker on the back.
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