Ophichthidae

Ringelschlangenaal ( Myrichthys colubrinus )

The snake eels ( Ophichthidae ) are a family from the order of eel-like. It consists of about 300 species in 52 genera. The name comes from the Greek ophis means snake and ichthys fish.

Snake eels live in subtropical and tropical seas in coastal areas, on sandy soils or in coral reefs. Some species are also in estuaries.

Features

Snake eels are similar to moray eels. They are elongated, their number of vortex is between 110 and 270 The pectoral fins are very small or absent, as is the tail, whose function is taken over by the long, far back reaching dorsal and anal fin. The tip of the tail bone is reinforced in many species and allows the fish very quickly to drill backwards into the sand. The mouth of the snake eels is terminal or greatly inferior. The dentition of the individual species is very different, in addition to conical fangs also occur blunt teeth to crush hard-shelled prey. In contrast to the moray eels, their nostrils sit at eye level, the nostrils of the snake eels are located far forward over the tip of the snout and end in a downwardly curved tubes. Snake eels are eleven inches to 1.7 feet long.

Way of life

Most species are nocturnal. During the day they stay hidden in the sand, only the head often looks outside, at night the robbers go in search of food. The animals are not so much tied to their hideout as moray eels.

They eat fish or crustaceans, some have specialized in cephalopods. The prey is tracked gustatory (via the sense of taste ).

The propagation of snake eels is largely unknown. In some species, it was observed that they form groups and swim to spawn at the water surface.

Phylogeny and systematics

The fossil snake eel Goslinophis is from the northern Italian Monte Bolca Formation, which originated from deposits of the Tethys in the Eocene, known.

Snake eels are among the eel-like fish and it, along with the eight other families subordination Congroidei. Almost all members of this suborder, including the snake eels lack the shed. The frontal bone has grown together.

Subfamily Ophichthinae

The members of this subfamily often have a stripe or spot drawing. Some also have a uniform color. The tail is without a tail fin and hard or fleshy. The genera Apterichtus, Cirricaecula and Ichthyapus are completely without fins. Others lack the chest, back or anal fin.

• Genus Rhinophichthus McCosker, 1999 Rhinophichthus penicillatus McCosker, 1999

• Genus Allips McCosker, 1972 Allips concolor McCosker, 1972

• Bascanichthys bascanium Jordan, 1884
• Bascanichthys bascanoides Osburn & Nichols, 1916
• Bascanichthys ceciliae Blache & Cadenat, 1971
• Bascanichthys congoensis Blache & Cadenat, 1971
• Bascanichthys cylindricus Meek & Hildebrand, 1923
• Bascanichthys deraniyagalai Menon, 1961
• Bascanichthys fijiensis Seale, 1935
• Bascanichthys filaria Günther, 1872
• Bascanichthys inopinatus McCosker, Bohlke & Bohlke, 1989
• Bascanichthys kirkii Günther, 1870
• Bascanichthys longipinnis Kner & Steindachner, 1867
• Bascanichthys myersi Herre, 1932
• Bascanichthys panamensis Meek & Hildebrand, 1923
• Bascanichthys paulensis Storey, 1939
• Bascanichthys pusillus Seale, 1917
• Bascanichthys scuticaris Goode & Bean, 1880
• Bascanichthys sibogae Weber, 1913

• Caralophia loxochila Bohlke, 1955

• Dalophis boulengeri Blache, Cadenat & Stauch, 1970
• Dalophis cephalopeltis Bleeker, 1863
• Dalophis imberbis Delaroche, 1809
• Dalophis multidentatus Blache & Bauchot, 1972
• Dalophis obtusirostris Blache & Bauchot, 1972

• Ethadophis akkistikos McCosker & Bohlke, 1984
• Ethadophis byrnei Rosenblatt & McCosker, 1970
• Ethadophis epinepheli Blache & Bauchot, 1972
• Ethadophis foresti Cadenat & Rou, X1964
• Ethadophis merenda Rosenblatt & McCosker, 1970

• Gordiichthys combibus McCosker & Lavenberg, 2001
• Gordiichthys ergodes McCosker, Bohlke & Bohlke, 1989
• Gordiichthys mistaken titus Jordan & Davis, 1891
• Gordiichthys leibyi McCosker & Bohlke, 1984
• Gordiichthys randalli McCosker & Bohlke, 1984

• Leptenchelys vermiformis Myers & Wade, 1941

• Phenotype Monas cooperae Palmer, 1970
• Phenotype Monas longissima Cadenat & Marchal, 1963
• Phenotype Monas pinnata Myers & Wade, 1941

• Genus Aprognathodon Bohlke, 1967 Aprognathodon platyventris Bohlke, 1967

• Callechelys bilinearis Kanazawa, 1952
• Callechelys bitaeniata Peters, 1877
• Callechelys cliffi Bohlke & Briggs, 1954
• Callechelys eristigma McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1972
• Callechelys galapagensis McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1972
• Callechelys guineensis Osório, 1893
• Callechelys leucoptera Cadenat, 1954
• Callechelys lutea Snyder, 1904
• Callechelys marmorata Bleeker, 1853
• Callechelys muraena Jordan & Evermann, 1887
• Callechelys papulosa McCosker, 1998
• Callechelys randalli McCosker, 1998
• Callechelys springeri Ginsburg, 1951
• Callechelys striata Smith, 1957

• Letharchus aliculatus McCosker, 1974
• Letharchus rosenblatti McCosker, 1974
• Letharchus velifer Goode & Bean, 1882

• Leuropharus lasiops Rosenblatt & McCosker, 1970

• Paraletharchus opercularis Myers & Wade, 1941
• Paraletharchus pacificus Osburn & Nichols, 1916

• Xestochilus nebulosus Smith, 1962

• Genus Aplatophis Bohlke, 1956 Aplatophis Chauliodus Bohlke, 1956
• Aplatophis zorro McCosker & Robertson, 2001

• Brachysomophis atlanticus Blache & Saldanha, 1972
• Stargazer snake eel ( Brachysomophis cirrocheilos ) Bleeker, 1857
• Brachysomophis crocodilinus Bennett, 1833
• Brachysomophis henshawi Jordan & Snyder, 1904
• Brachysomophis longipinnis McCosker & Randall, 2001
• Temminck & Schlegel Brachysomophis porphyreus, 1846
• Brachysomophis umbonis McCosker & Randall, 2001

• Echelus myrus Linnaeus, 1758
• Echelus pachyrhynchus Vaillant, 1888
• Temminck & Schlegel Echelus uropterus, 1846

• Echiophis brunneus Castro -Aguirre & Suárez de los Cobos, 1983
• Echiophis creutzbergi Cadenat, 1956
• Echiophis intertinctus Richardson, 1848
• Echiophis punctifer Kaup, 1860

• Elapsopis cyclorhinus Fraser -Brunner, 1934
• Elapsopis versicolor Richardson, 1848

• Evips percinctus McCosker, 1972

• Herpetoichthys fossatus Myers & Wade, 1941

• Hyphalophis Devius McCosker & Bohlke, 1982

• Kertomichthys blastorhinos Kanazawa, 1963

• Leiuranus semicinctus Lay & Bennett, 1839

• Lethogoleos andersoni McCosker & Bohlke, 1982

• Malvoliophis pinguis Günther, 1872

• Myrichthys aspetocheiros McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1993
• Myrichthys bleekeri Gosline, 1951
• Weißgefleckter snake eel ( Myrichthys breviceps ) Richardson, 1848
• Ringelschlangenaal ( Myrichthys colubrinus ) Boddaert, 1781
• Myrichthys maculosus Cuvier, 1816
• Myrichthys magnificus Abbott, 1860
• Myrichthys ocellatus Lesueur, 1825
• Myrichthys pantostigmius Jordan & McGregor, 1899
• Myrichthys pardalis Valenciennes, 1839
• Myrichthys tigrinus Girard, 1859
• Myrichthys xysturus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

• Mystriophis crosnieri Blache, 1971
• Mystriophis rostellatus Richardson, 1848

• Ophichthus altipennis Kaup, 1856
• Ophichthus apachus McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
• Ophichthus aphotistos McCosker & Chen, 2000
• Ophichthus apicalis Anonymous [ Bennett ], 1830
• Ophichthus arneutes McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
• Ophichthus asakusae Jordan & Snyder, 1901
• Saddle Snake Eel ( Ophichthus bonaparti ) Kaup, 1856
• Ophichthus brachynotopterus Karrer, 1982
• Ophichthus brasiliensis Kaup, 1856
• Ophichthus brevicaudatus Chu, Wu & Jin, 1981
• Ophichthus celebicus Bleeker, 1856
• Ophichthus cephalozona Bleeker, 1864 Ophichthus cephalozona
• Ophichthus cruentifer Goode & Bean, 1896
• Ophichthus cylindroideus Ranzani, 1839
• Ophichthus echeloides D' Ancona, 1928
• Ophichthus episcopus Castelnau, 1878
• Ophichthus erabo Jordan & Snyder, 1901
• Ophichthus ever manni Jordan & Richardson, 1909
• Ophichthus exourus McCosker, 1999
• Ophichthus fasciatus Chu, Wu & Jin, 1981
• Ophichthus frontalis Garman, 1899
• Ophichthus garretti Günther, 1910 Ophichthus garretti
• Ophichthus enjoy McCosker, 1999
• Ophichthus gomesii Castelnau, 1855
• Ophichthus grandoculis Cantor, 1849
• Ophichthus hyposagmatus McCosker & Bohlke, 1984
• Ophichthus karreri Blache, 1975
• Ophichthus kunaloa McCosker, 1979
• Ophichthus leonensis Blache, 1975
• Ophichthus limkouensis Chen, 1929
• Ophichthus longipenis McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
• Ophichthus macrochir Bleeker, 1853
• Ophichthus macrops Günther, 1910
• Ophichthus maculatus Rafinesque, 1810
• Ophichthus madagascariensis Fourmanoir, 1961
• Ophichthus manilensis Herre, 1923
• Ophichthus marginatus Peters, 1855
• Ophichthus mecopterus McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
• Ophichthus megalops Asano, 1987
• Ophichthus melanoporus Kanazawa, 1963
• Ophichthus melope McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
• Ophichthus menezesi McCosker & Bohlke, 1984
• Ophichthus mystacinus McCosker, 1999
• Ophichthus omorgmus McCosker & Bohlke, 1984
• Ophichthus ophis Linnaeus, 1758
• Ophichthus parilis Richardson, 1848
• Ophichthus polyophthalmus Bleeker, 1864
• Ophichthus puncticeps Kaup, 1860
• Ophichthus regius Richardson, 1848
• Ophichthus Remiger Valenciennes, 1837
• Ophichthus rex Bohlke & Caruso, 1980
• Ophichthus roseus Tanaka, 1917
• Ophichthus rotundus Lee & Asano, 1997
• Ophichthus rufus Rafinesque, 1810
• Ophichthus rugifer Jordan & Bollman, 1890
• Ophichthus rutidoderma Bleeker, 1853
• Ophichthus rutidodermatoides Bleeker, 1853
• Ophichthus serpentinus Seale, 1917
• Ophichthus singapurensis Bleeker, 1864-65
• Ophichthus spinicauda Norman, 1922
• Ophichthus stenopterus Cope, 1871
• Ophichthus tchangi Tang & Zhang, 2002
• Ophichthus tetratrema McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
• Ophichthus triserialis Kaup, 1856
• Ophichthus tsuchidae Jordan & Snyder, 1901
• Ophichthus unicolor Regan, 1908
• Temminck & Schlegel Ophichthus Urolophus, 1846
• Ophichthus woosuitingi Chen, 1929
• Ophichthus zophochir Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

• Ophisurus macrorhynchos Bleeker, 1853
• Ophisurus serpens Linnaeus, 1758

• Phyllophichthus macrurus McKay, 1970
• Phyllophichthus xenodontus Gosline, 1951

• Pisodonophis boro Hamilton, 1822
• Pisodonophis cancrivorus Richardson, 1848
• Pisodonophis copelandi Herre, 1953
• Pisodonophis daspilotus Gilbert, 1898
• Pisodonophis hijala Hamilton, 1822
• Pisodonophis hoeveni Bleeker, 1853
• Pisodonophis hypselopterus Bleeker, 1851
• Pisodonophis semicinctus Richardson, 1848
• Pisodonophis zophistius Jordan & Snyder, 1901

• Quassiremus Ascensionis Studer, 1889
• Quassiremus evionthas Jordan & Bollman, 1890
• Quassiremus nothochir Gilbert, 1890
• Quassiremus polyclitellum Castle, 1996

• Scytalichthys miurus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

• Xyrias guineensis Blache, 1975
• Xyrias multiserialis Norman, 1939
• Xyrias revulsus Jordan & Snyder, 1901

• Genus Apterichtus Duméril, 1806 Apterichtus moseri Apterichtus anguiformis Peters, 1877
• Apterichtus pleasant s Bohlke, 1968
• Apterichtus caecus Linnaeus, 1758
• Apterichtus equatorialis Myers & Wade, 1941
• Apterichtus flavicaudus Snyder, 1904
• Apterichtus gracilis Kaup, 1856
• Apterichtus gymnocelus Bohlke, 1953
• Apterichtus hatookai Hibino et al., 2014
• Apterichtus kendalli Gilbert, 1891
• Apterichtus keramanus Machida, Hashimoto & Yamakawa, 1997
• Apterichtus klazingai Weber, 1913
• Apterichtus monodisperse Rou, X1966
• Apterichtus moseri Jordan & Snyder, 1901
• Apterichtus orientalis Machida & Ohta, 1994

• Caecula pterygera Vahl, 1794

• Cirrhimuraena calamus Günther, 1870
• Cirrhimuraena Cheilopogon Bleeker, 1860
• Cirrhimuraena chinensis Kaup, 1856
• Cirrhimuraena inhacae Smith, 1962
• Cirrhimuraena oliveri Seale, 1910
• Cirrhimuraena orientalis Nguyen, 1993
• Cirrhimuraena paucidens Herre & Myers, 1931
• Cirrhimuraena playfairii Günther, 1870
• Cirrhimuraena tapeinoptera Bleeker, 1863

• Cirricaecula johnsoni Schultz, 1953
• Cirricaecula macdowelli McCosker & Randall, 1993

• Hemerorhinus heyningi Weber, 1913
• Hemerorhinus Opici Blache & Bauchot, 1972

• Ichthyapus acuticeps Barnard, 1923
• Ichthyapus omanensis Norman, 1939
• Ichthyapus Ophioneus Evermann & Marsh, 1900
• Ichthyapus selachops Jordan & Gilbert, 1882
• Ichthyapus vulturis Weber & de Beaufort, 1916

• Lamnostoma kampeni Weber & de Beaufort, 1916
• Lamnostoma Mindora Jordan & Richardson, 1908
• Lamnostoma orientalis McClelland, 1844
• Lamnostoma polyophthalma Bleeker, 1853
• Lamnostoma taylori Herre, 1923

• Stictorhinus potamius Bohlke & McCosker, 1975

• Yirrkala calyptra McCosker, 2011
• Yirrkala chaselingi Whitley, 1940
• Yirrkala fusca Zuiew, 1793
• Yirrkala gjellerupi Weber & de Beaufort, 1916
• Yirrkala insolitus McCosker, 1999
• Yirrkala kaupii Bleeker, 1858
• Yirrkala lumbricoides Bleeker, 1864
• Yirrkala macrodon Bleeker, 1863
• Yirrkala maculata Klausewitz, 1964
• Yirrkala maculatus Chu, Wu & Jin, 1981
• Yirrkala misolensis Günther, 1872
• Yirrkala moluccensis Bleeker, 1864
• Yirrkala moorei McCosker, 2006
• Yirrkala tenuis Günther, 1870
• Yirrkala timorensis ( Günther, 1870)

Subfamily Myrophinae

The members of this subfamily are uniformly colored. Often, the back is darker. The fin rays of the caudal fin are small, but still connected to the dorsal and anal fin. Pectoral fins can be present or absent.

• Genus Skythrenchelys Castle & McCosker, 1999 Skythrenchelys lentiginosa Castle & McCosker, 1999
• Skythrenchelys zabra Castle & McCosker, 1999

• Genus Benthenchelys Fowler, 1934 Benthenchelys Cartieri Fowler, 1934
• Benthenchelys indicus Castle, 1972
• Benthenchelys pacificus Castle, 1972

• Genus Ahlia Jordan & Davis, 1891 Ahlia egmontis Jordan, 1884

• Asarcenchelys longimanus McCosker, 1985

• Glenoglossa wassi McCosker, 1982

• Mixomyrophis pusillipinna McCosker, 1985

• Muraenichthys elerae Fowler, 1934
• Muraenichthys gymnopterus Bleeker, 1853
• Muraenichthys iredalei Whitley, 1927
• Muraenichthys macrostomus Bleeker, 1865
• Muraenichthys philippinensis Schultz & Woods, 1949
• Muraenichthys schultzei Bleeker, 1857
• Muraenichthys sibogae Weber & de Beaufort, 1916
• Muraenichthys thompsoni Jordan & Richardson, 1908

• Myrophis anterodorsalis McCosker, Bohlke & Bohlke, 1989
• Myrophis cheni Chen & Weng, 1967
• Myrophis lepturus Kotthaus, 1968
• Myrophis microchir Bleeker, 1865
• Myrophis platyrhynchus Breder, 1927
• Myrophis plumbeus Cope, 1871
• Myrophis punctatus Lütken, 1852
• Myrophis vafer Jordan & Gilbert, 1883

• Neenchelys buitendijki Weber & de Beaufort, 1916
• Neenchelys daedalus McCosker, 1982
• Neenchelys diaphora Ho et al., 2014
• Neenchelys microtretus Bamber, 1915
• Neenchelys pelagica Ho et al., 2014
• Neenchelys retropinna Smith & Bohlke, 1983
• Neenchelys similis Ho et al., 2014

• Pylorobranchus hoi McCosker et al., 2013

• Pseudomyrophis atlanticus Blache, 1975
• Pseudomyrophis frio Jordan & Davis, 1891
• Pseudomyrophis fugesae McCosker, Bohlke & Bohlke, 1989
• Pseudomyrophis micropinna Wade, 1946
• Pseudomyrophis Nimius Bohlke, 1960

• Schismorhynchus labialis Seale, 1917

• Schultzidia johnstonensis Schultz & Woods, 1949
• Schultzidia retropinnis Fowler, 1934

• Scolecenchelys acutirostris Weber & de Beaufort, 1916
• Scolecenchelys australis Macleay, 1881
• Scolecenchelys borealis Machida & Shiogaki, 1990
• Scolecenchelys breviceps Günther, 1876
• Scolecenchelys castlei McCosker, 2006
• Scolecenchelys chilensis McCosker, 1970
• Scolecenchelys cookei Fowler, 1928
• Scolecenchelys erythraeensis Bauchot & Maugé, 1980
• Scolecenchelys godeffroyi Regan, 1909
• Scolecenchelys gymnota Bleeker, 1857
• Scolecenchelys japonica Machida & Ohta, 1993
• Scolecenchelys laticaudata Ogilby, 1897
• Scolecenchelys macroptera Bleeker, 1857
• Scolecenchelys nicholsae Waite, 1904
• Scolecenchelys okamurai Machida & Ohta, 1996
• Scolecenchelys profundorum McCosker & Parin, 1995
• Scolecenchelys puhioilo McCosker, 1979
• Scolecenchelys tasmaniensis McCulloch, 1911
• Scolecenchelys vermiformis Peters, 1866
• Scolecenchelys xorae Smith, 1958