Dark deepwater snake eel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Genus: Ophichthus
Species:
O. aphotistos
Binomial name
Ophichthus aphotistos
J. E. McCosker & Y. Y. Chen, 2000

The dark deepwater snake eel[1] (Ophichthus aphotistos) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae.[2] It was described by John E. McCosker and Chen Yu-Yun in 2000.[3] It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is known from Taiwan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 36–1350 m (most commonly 250–350 m), and inhabits sand and mud. Specimens have been observed in burrows with only their heads exposed, or resting on sediment with their bodies curved in an S shape. Females can reach a maximum total length of 62.8 cm.[2]

The specific epithet aphotistos, meaning dark or obscure, refers both to the eel's appearance and its habitat.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Common names for Ophichthus aphotistos at www.fishbase.org.
  2. 1 2 3 Ophichthus aphotistos at www.fishbase.org.
  3. ↑ McCosker, J. E. and Y.-Y. Chen, 2000 [ref. 25028] A new species of deepwater snake-eel, Ophichthus aphotistos, with comments on Neenchelys retropinna (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from Taiwan. Ichthyological Research v. 47 (no. 4): 353-357.


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