Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); tomioi: Named for Tomio Iwamoto, CAS.
Eponymy: Dr Tomio Iwamoto (d: 1939) is Curator Emeritus, Ichthyology, at the Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability at California Academy of Sciences. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: McCosker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 300 - 423 m (Ref. 84366). Deep-water
Indo-Pacific: off the Philippines, Marquesas, Fiji, and the Seychelle Islands.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 44.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 84366)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 166 - 189. This moderately elongate species of Ophichthus, subgenus Coecilophis is distinguished by the following characters: tail 59-62.5% and head 9.1-10% of total length; origin of dorsal-fin slightly ahead of end of pectoral filaments; pointed, elongate and filamentous pectoral fins, posterior nostril a hole in outer lip and covered by an anterior flap; large eye nearly equal to snout; minute head pores, SO 1+4, IO 4+2, POM 2+6-7; small, conical and numerous teeth, uniserial on vomer, regularly biserial and close set on maxillary and mandible; yellow in color, tan along mid-flanks, hindmost ventral surface of tail black; vertebral formula 16/62/169, total vertebrae 166-189 (Ref. 84366).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
McCosker, J.E., 2010. Deepwater Indo-Pacific species of the snake-eel genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa 2505:1-39. (Ref. 84366)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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