The faceless cusk (''Typhlonus nasus'') is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

cusk-eel The cusk-eel family, Ophidiidae, is a group of marine bony fishes in the Ophidiiformes order. The scientific name is from the Greek ''ophis'' meaning "snake", and refers to their eel-like appearance. True eels, however, diverged from other ray- ...

found in the

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

and

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

s at depths from . This species grows to in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

. The fish is named after its appearance due to having an extremely reduced "face". The mouth is located on the underside of the head. The sides of the head do not display any visible eyes. However, ''Typhlonus nasus'' does possess eyes, which can be seen deep beneath the skin in small-sized specimens. It also possess two pairs of large nostrils towards the front of the head above the mouth. The species has discernible gill covers on each side of the head and large deciduous scales. It also has reduced dorsal and anal fins which are dark in colors and are fused at the end, as a replacement for a lacking caudal fin. The fins of this fish are black in color, with a very pale body.

References

Bibliography

* * Ophidiidae Fish described in 1878 Taxa named by Albert Günther {{Ophidiidae-stub