Ophichthidae is a family of fish in the order Anguilliformes, commonly known as the snake eels. The term "Ophichthidae" comes from Greek ophis ("serpent") and ichthys ("fish"). Snake eels are also burrowing eels. They are named for their physical appearance, as they have long, cylindrical, snake-like bodies. This family is found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate waters. They inhabit a wide range of habitats, from coastal shallows and even rivers, to depths below 800 m (2,600 ft). Most species are bottom dwellers, hiding in mud or sand to capture their prey of crustaceans and small fish, but some are pelagic.
Saccopharynx is a genus of deep-sea eels with large mouths, distensible stomachs and long, scaleless bodies. Commonly, these fish are called gulpers or gulper eels. It is the only genus in the family Saccopharyngidae, and is part of the derived lineage of the "saccopharyngiforms," which includes other mid-water eel species. The name is from Latin saccus meaning "sack" and Greek φάρυγξ, pharynx.
Gymnothorax is a genus of fish in the family Muraenidae found in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. With more than 120 species, it the most speciose genus of moray eels.
Scuticaria okinawae is a moray eel found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is commonly known as the shorttailed snake moray, shorttail moray, Seale's moray eel, or the Bennett's moray.
Apterichtus is a genus of fish in the family Ophichthidae. Many of its species are called finless eels.
Bascanichthys is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It currently contains the following species:
Callechelys is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It currently contains the following fifteen species:
Ethadophis is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It currently contains the following species:
Myrophis is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.
Ophichthus is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.
Pseudomyrophis is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It currently contains the following species:
Bascanichthys inopinatus, the unexpected snake eel, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker, Eugenia Brandt Böhlke, and James Erwin Böhlke in 1989. It is a tropical, marine eel endemic to the coastal marine waters of Puerto Rico.
The Indifferent eel is a species of eels in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and James Erwin Böhlke in 1984. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western central Atlantic Ocean, including Panama, Nicaragua, Suriname, and Texas, USA. It dwells at a depth range of 55 to 58 meters.
Gordiichthys combibus is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Robert J. Lavenberg in 2001. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Colombia, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth range of 0 to 2 metres, and inhabit shallow water. Males can reach a maximum total length of 40.6 centimetres (16.0 in).
The Irksone eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker, Eugenia Brandt Böhlke, and James Erwin Böhlke in 1989. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from a single specimen discovered in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, in the western central Atlantic Ocean. From the holotype, it is known to dwell at a depth range of 10 to 189 meters.
The String eel is a species of eels in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and James Erwin Böhlke in 1984. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from the western central and northwestern Atlantic Ocean, including Florida, USA; Puerto Rico, and Canada. It dwells at a depth range of 37 to 72 meters, and inhabits mud and sand sediments.
Gordiichthys randalli is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and James Erwin Böhlke in 1984. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Puerto Rico, in the western central Atlantic Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 8 to 12 metres, and inhabits sand and algal beds in shallow water.
The faintsaddled snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Eugenia Brandt Böhlke in 1984. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from the western central Atlantic Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 108 meters.
Ophichthus menezesi is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Eugenia Brandt Böhlke in 1984. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 177 meters (581 ft).
The dottedline snake eel is a species of eels in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Eugenia Brandt Böhlke in 1984. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from the western central Atlantic Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 183 meters.
