Ophichthus ophis
| Ophichthus ophis | |
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| Species: | O. ophis
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| Binomial name | |
| Ophichthus ophis (Linnaeus, 1758)
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The Spotted snake eel[2] (Ophichthus ophis) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[3] It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally under the genus Muraena.[4] It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, including Bermuda and southern Florida, USA, Brazil, Lesser Antilles, Senegal, Angola, and the Mediterranean. It dwells at a depth range of 21 to 50 metres (69 to 164 ft), usually at around 50 m, and lives in burrows on a permanent basis. Males can reach a maximum total length of 210 centimetres (83 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 100 centimetres (39 in).[3]
The Spotted snake eel hunts nocturnally, and feeds primarily on octopuses and finfish, including Haemulon aurolineatum.[5] It is used as bait in subsistence fisheries, but is reported to cause ciguatera poisoning, and therefore is not usually used as a food source.[3]
References
- ^ Synonyms of Ophichthus ophis at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Common names of Ophichthus ophis at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b c Ophichthus ophis at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Linnaeus, C., 1758 (1 Jan.) [ref. 2787] Systema Naturae, Ed. X. (Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata.) Holmiae. v. 1: i-ii + 1-824.
- ^ Food and Feeding Habits Summary for Ophichthus ophis at www.fishbase.org.
External links
- Photos of Ophichthus ophis on Sealife Collection
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