[2] It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is known from the western Atlantic and eastern central Pacific Ocean.

D. rugosa is a fairly stout elongated cylindrical fish growing to a total length of about 350 mm (14 in).

The snout is fleshy with a number of papillae and tapers towards the front, overhanging the lower jaw.

[5] This area had pillow lava flows draped with yellowish microbial mats, and whenever the submersible touched down, previously hidden eels, since identified as Dysommina rugosa, swarmed into the water column.

It is thought that the eels hide in crevices in the yellow mats for their own protection and feed on planktonic crustaceans drifting past.