Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Apterichtus: From the Greek απτερόν (apteron), without fins, and ίχθύς (ichtus, more correctly written ichthys; masculine), fish; orientalis: The name orientalis refers to its type locality, the Far East.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 79 - 81 m (Ref. 101270). Temperate
Northwest Pacific: known only from the type locality, off the Kii Peninsula, western Japan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 44.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13362); 31.8 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 0; Vertebrae: 133. This species is distinguished by the following characters: tail 1.8, head 12-14, and body depth 53-55 in total length; preopercular pores 3 and pores in supratemporal canal 7; conical teeth, uniserial, 9 in ethmoidal region, 1 tooth on vomer; body coloration uniform pale yellow with small brownish dots, lighter ventrally; MVF 54-132, total vertebrae 131-133 (n=2) (Ref. 101270).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Inhabits sandy mud bottoms.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Machida, Y. and S. Ohta, 1994. A new snake-eel, Apterichtus orientalis, from the Pacific coast of western Japan (Opichthinae, Ophichthidae). Jap. J. Ichthyol. 41(1):1-5. (Ref. 13362)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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