Monognathus, or onejaw, is the only genus of the family Monognathidae of deep-seaeels. The name comes from the Greekmonos meaning "one" and gnathos meaning "jaw", a reference to the large mouth in comparison with the rest of the fish, and also the absence of an upper jaw (maxilla and premaxilla bones are absent).[3]
Description
The dorsal and anal fins lack bony supports and the pectoral fins are missing. The snout has a fang connected to glands, which are venomous in adults.[4] These eels are virtually blind, with rudimentary eyes and small olfactory organs, although the male olfactory organs are enlarged, perhaps suggesting a method of "sniffing out" a mate.[3]
Typical lengths are from 4 to 10 cm (1.5–4 in), the maximum length recorded is 15.9 cm (6.3 in).
Distribution
They are found at depths of over 2,000 m (6,600 ft), and are found in all oceans.[5][3]
^ abcBÖHLKE, EUGENIA B.; BÖHLKE, JAMES E.; LEIBY, MARK M.; McCOSKER, JOHN E.; BERTELSEN, E.; ROBINS, CATHERINE H.; ROBINS, C. RICHARD; SMITH, DAVID G.; TIGHE, KENNETH A. (1989). Orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes: Part 9, Volume 1. Yale University Press. ISBN978-1-933789-19-4. JSTORj.ctvbcd0dm.
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