Blackfin sorcerer
Nettastoma melanura
- Usual depth451–1,296 m
- Water temperature19–29 °C
- Best monthsMay
- How commonRare
About this species
The blackfin sorcerer is a species of saltwater eel in the family Nettastomatidae of the order Anguilliformes. It is found only in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Blackfin sorcerer”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 3 records
- February: 2 records
- March: 3 records
- April: 4 records
- May: 31 records
- June: 16 records
- July: 3 records
- August: 9 records
- September: 6 records
- October: 4 records
- November: 5 records
- December: 2 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 451–1,296 m · Deepest record: 1,442 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 19–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Blackfin sorcerer, blackfin sorcerermacrouridae
Names in 2 more languages
- Spanish
- Pico de Pato
- French
- Sorciére, Sorcière à queue noire
Other scientific names: Hyoprorus messanensis, Hyoprorus messinensis, Leptocephalus longirostris, Leptocephalus urosema, Mettastoma melanurum, Muraena saga, Muraenophis saga, Muraenosaurus guentheri, Muraenosaurus güntheri, Murenophis saga, Nettastoma melanorum, Nettastoma melanurum, Nettastoma mendax, Nettastoma saga, Osorina guentheri
Similar species
- Duck-billed eel
Nettastoma parviceps
- Solitary Duckbill Eel
Nettastoma solitarium
- Bridge Duckbill Eel
Nettenchelys gephyra
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 226 open-data records from 1874 to 2012.
- Species data updated November 5, 2026.
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