| SOURCE FOR OCCURRENCE IN ECUADOR: Barriga (2012) and Jimenez-Prado et al. (2015). |
| ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Bloch, M.E. 1795. Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische. Berlin. v. 9: i-ii + 1-192, Pls. 397-429. |
| TYPE SPECIMENS: |
| TAXONOMIC STATUS: Valid (Eschmeyer and Fricke, 2020). |
| RANGE ECUADOR: Found throughout western Ecuador in the Santiago-Cayapas, Esmeraldas, Guayas, and southern coastal drainages (Jimenez-Prado et al., 2015). |
| RANGE OUTSIDE OF ECUADOR: Occurs from Mexico to Argentina (Jimenez-Prado et al., 2015). |
| COLLECTIONS IN ECUADOR: |
| MAXIMUM SIZE: 150 mm TL (Jimenez-Prado et al., 2015). |
| DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Easily distinguishable from all other freshwater fishes in western Ecuador because of its eel-like appearance and lack of fins and scales. Very elongate body with a short head and a brown coloration. |
| ECOLOGY: Reported as being primarily nocturnal, occurring in streams with gravel or sandy bottoms. Carnivorous feeding on aquatic invertebrates and small fishes. Can travel short distances over land (Jimenez-Prado et al., 2015). |
| ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Small and not abundant enough to be of economic importance. |
| CONSERVATION STATUS: Unknown in western Ecuador. |
| LINK TO FISHBASE PAGE: Click here for link |
| SPECIES PROFILE CREATED BY: Windsor Aguirre |
| SPECIES PROFILE CONTRIBUTORS: Fredy Nugra |
