Ophichthidae

Ophichthidae
Ophichthidae
Temporal range: Early Eocene–Recent
[1]
Tiger snake eel, Myrichthys maculosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Superorder: Elopomorpha
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Subfamilies

Myrophinae
Ophichthinae

Ophichthidae is a family of eels, comprising species commonly called worm eels and snake eels. The term "Ophichthidae" comes from Greek ophis ("serpent") and ichthys ("fish").

Ophichthids are found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate waters. They inhabit a wide range of habitats, from coastal shallows, and even rivers, to depths of above 750 metres (2,460 ft). Most species are bottom dwellers, hiding in mud or sand to capture their prey of crustaceans and small fish, but some are pelagic.[2]

Ophichthid species range from 10 centimetres (3.9 in) to 3 metres (9.8 ft) in length. Many species lack fins altogether, improving their ability to burrow into the substrate like worms. They are often spotted or striped in colour, mimicking the appearance of venomous sea snakes to deter predators.[2] Often will be washed ashore by large storms.

Genera

The family Ophichthidae is the largest and most diverse of the families of eels, containing around 300 species in over 50 genera:

Family Ophichthidae

  • Subfamily Myrophinae
    • Ahlia (1 species)
    • Asarcenchelys (1 species)
    • Benthenchelys (3 species)
    • Glenoglossa (1 species)
    • Leptocephalus (1 species assigned to this family (see genus article))
    • Mixomyrophis (1 species)
    • Muraenichthys (7 species)
    • Myrophis (8 species)
    • Neenchelys (4 species)
    • Pseudomyrophis (5 species)
    • Schismorhynchus (1 species)
    • Schultzidia (2 species)
    • Scolecenchelys (20 species)
    • Skythrenchelys (2 species)
  • Subfamily Ophichthinae
    • Allips (1 species)
    • Aplatophis (2 species)
    • Aprognathodon (1 species)
    • Apterichtus (14 species)
    • Bascanichthys (17 species)
    • Brachysomophis (7 species)
    • Caecula (3 species)
    • Callechelys (15 species)
    • Caralophia (1 species)
    • Cirrhimuraena (10 species)
    • Cirricaecula (2 species)
    • Dalophis (5 species)
    • Echelus (3 species)
    • Echiophis (4 species)
    • Ethadophis (5 species)
    • Evips (1 species)
    • Gordiichthys (5 species)
    • Hemerorhinus (2 species)
    • Herpetoichthys (1 species)
    • Hyphalophis (1 species)
    • Ichthyapus (7 species)
    • Kertomichthys (1 species)
    • Lamnostoma (5 species)
    • Leiuranus (2 species)
    • Leptenchelys (1 species)
    • Letharchus (3 species)
    • Lethogoleos (1 species)
    • Leuropharus (1 species)
    • Luthulenchelys (1 species)
    • Malvoliophis (1 species)
    • Myrichthys (11 species)
      Sharp-tailed snake eel, Myrichthys breviceps, Saba, Dutch Antilles
    • Mystriophis (2 species)
    • Ophichthus (80 species)
    • Ophisurus (2 species)
    • Paraletharchus (2 species)
    • Phaenomonas (3 species)
    • Phyllophichthus (2 species)
    • Pisodonophis (9 species)
    • Quassiremus (4 species)
    • Rhinophichthus (1 species)
    • Scytalichthys (1 species)
    • Stictorhinus (1 species)
    • Xestochilus (1 species)
    • Xyrias (4 species)
    • Yirrkala (13 species)

References

  1. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Ophichthidae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
  2. ^ a b McCosker, John F. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 87–89. ISBN 0-12-547665-5. 


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