synaphobranchidæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. A family of apodal fishes, exemplified by the genus Synaphobranchus, including enchelycephalous fishes with the branchial apertures contiguous or united, the branchiostegal rays abbreviated, and the mouth deeply cleft. They are deepsea forms, of 2 genera with 6 or 7 species, resembling eels.