Typhlosynbranchus | |
---|---|
Liberian swamp eel (T. boueti) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Synbranchiformes |
Family: | Synbranchidae |
Subfamily: | Synbranchinae |
Genus: | Typhlosynbranchus Pellegrin, 1922 |
Type species | |
Typhlosynbranchus boueti Pellegrin, 1922
| |
Species | |
T. boueti |
Typhlosynbranchus is a genus of swamp eels that are native to West and Central Africa. It contains two species that were formerly classified in the primarily Asian genus Monopterus.[1][2][3]
The genus was originally formed by Jacques Pellegrin in 1922 for the Liberian swamp eel, but later studies synonymized it with Monopterus. However, a 2020 study found significant divergence between the two taxa and revived the genus for M. boueti and the recently described M. luticolus.[1]
One of the two species, T. boueti, is primarily found in aquatic environments, while the other (T. luticolus) has a fossorial lifestyle in inundated soil.