Myrichthys colubrinus
Appearance
Myrichthys colubrinus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anguilliformes |
Family: | Ophichthidae |
Genus: | Myrichthys |
Species: | M. colubrinus
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Binomial name | |
Myrichthys colubrinus (Boddaert, 1781)
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Myrichthys colubrinus, the banded snake eel, ringed snake eel or harlequin snake eel, is a snake eel from the Indo-Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 97 cm (38 in) in length.[1]
The ringed snake eel resembles the venomous sea snake, Laticauda colubrina which is a form of Batesian mimicry.[2] It also adjusts its behaviour to swim freely during the day, whereas other snake eels tend to stay hidden and roam at night.
In 2021, it was first recorded in Hawaii.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Myrichthys colubrinus". FishBase. December 2008 version.
- ^ Randall, J. E. (2005). A review of mimicry in marine fishes. Zoological Studies, 44(3), 299–328.
- ^ "Harlequin Snake Eel, Myrichthys colubrinus". www.marinelifephotography.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
External links
[edit]Wikimedia Commons has media related to Myrichthys colubrinus.
- Photos of Myrichthys colubrinus in iNaturalist