Yellow snake-eel
| Yellow snake-eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Ophichthus |
| Species: | O. zophochir |
| Binomial name | |
| Ophichthus zophochir Jordan & Gilbert, 1882 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
The yellow snake-eel (Ophichthus zophochir, also known as the charmed snake eel[2]) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae.[3] It was described by David Starr Jordan and Charles Henry Gilbert in 1882.[4] It is a marine, subtropical eel known from the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and the United States.[5] It dwells at a depth range of 1 to 110 m (3.3 to 360.9 ft), and forms burrows in rocky and sandy regions. Males can reach a maximum total length of 88 cm (35 in), but more commonly reach a length of 50 cm (20 in).[3]
The species epithet zophochir, derived from the Greek term for "dark hand", refers to the dark colouring of the eel's pectoral fin.[3] Its diet consists of bony fish and clams.[6] Due to its wide distribution in the eastern Pacific, lack of known threats, and lack of observed population decline, the IUCN redlist currently lists the yellow snake-eel as Least Concern.[5]
References
- ↑ Synonyms of Ophichthus zophochir at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Common names of Ophichthus zophochir at www.fishbase.org.
- 1 2 3 Ophichthus zophochir at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Jordan, D. S. and C. H. Gilbert, 1882 (6 Apr.) [ref. 2470] Descriptions of thirty-three new species of fishes from Mazatlan, Mexico. Proceedings of the United States National Museum v. 4 (no. 237): 338-365.
- 1 2 Ophichthus zophochir at the IUCN redlist.
- ↑ Food items reported for Ophichthus zophochir at www.fishbase.org.