Maimed snake eel

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Maimed snake eel
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Genus: Muraenichthys
Species:
M. schultzei
Binomial name
Muraenichthys schultzei
Bleeker, 1857
Synonyms
  • Muraenichthys schultziBleeker, 1857
  • Muraenichthys schulzeiBleeker, 1857

The Maimed snake eel (Muraenichthys schultzei, also known as the Aimed snake eel, the Bleeker's worm-eel, or the Schultz's worm eel [1] ) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). [2] It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1857. [3] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, East Africa, Samoa, the Ryukyu Islands, Australia, and Micronesia. It dwells at a depth range of 1 to 13 metres (3.3 to 42.7 ft), and inhabits coral reefs and lagoons, where it forms burrows in soft benthic sediments. Males can reach a maximum total length of 24 centimetres (9.4 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 8 centimetres (3.1 in). [2]

The Maimed snake eel is of minor commercial interest to fisheries. It is usually bagged, netted or dug out, and sold for shark bait. [2]

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<i>Muraenichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Muraenichthys is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.

<i>Muraenichthys gymnopterus</i> Species of eel in the family Ophichthidae

Muraenichthys gymnopterus is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1853, originally under the genus Muraena. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western Pacific Ocean, including China, Indonesia, and India. It inhabits rocky reefs in shallow, warm seas. Males can reach a maximum total length of 30 centimetres (12 in).

The Philippines worm eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Leonard Peter Schultz and Loren Paul Woods in 1949. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Philippines, in the western central Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 59 metres (194 ft), and inhabits sandy sediments. Males can reach a maximum total length of 30 centimetres (12 in).

The Siboga worm eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber and Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort in 1916. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from reefs in Timor and Samoa, in the Pacific Ocean. Males can reach a maximum total length of 13.5 centimetres (5.3 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordinary snake eel</span> Species of fish

The ordinary snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1864, originally under the genus Echelus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Western Pacific, including Vietnam, Japan, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, and Australia. It inhabits sandy sediments. Males can reach a maximum total length of 39 centimetres.

The Sharpnose worm eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber and Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Indonesia, in the western Pacific Ocean. It inhabits sandy areas near reefs. Males can reach a maximum total length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).

The Misaki worm eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by David Starr Jordan and John Otterbein Snyder in 1901, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from reefs in Japan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Males can reach a maximum total length of 44.8 centimetres (17.6 in).

The shortfinned worm eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by William John Macleay in 1881, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from Australia, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It forms large colonies which inhabit burrows in soft sediments. Males can reach a maximum total length of 40 centimetres (16 in).

Scolecenchelys chilensis is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker in 1970, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from Desventuradas Island and Juan Fernández Island, in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. It inhabits sand and debris found in between crevices and rocks. Males can reach a maximum standard length of 28.4 centimetres (11.2 in).

The Indo-Pacific slender worm-eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1857. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, East Africa, the Line Islands, the Society Islands, Johnston Island, Japan, Rapa Iti, Micronesia, and the southern Great Barrier Reef. It forms burrows in inshore sediments of loose gravel and sand. Males can reach a maximum total length of 38 centimetres (15 in).

Scolecenchelys japonica is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Yoshihiko Machida and Suguru Ohta in 1993, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from Mishima Island, Japan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth range of 74 to 78 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 19.7 centimetres (7.8 in).

The slender snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1857. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa, the Society Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. It dwells at a depth range of 30 to 33 metres, and inhabits sand sediments, tidepools and swamps in mangroves. Males can reach a maximum total length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in).

Scolecenchelys profundorum is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Nikolai Vasilyevich Parin in 1995, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is endemic to the Nazca Ridge in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 310 metres (1,020 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 33.4 centimetres (13.1 in).

The Orangehead worm-eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by J.L.B. Smith in 1958, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from the western Indian Ocean, including South Africa, Réunion, Mauritius and Madagascar. Males can reach a maximum total length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in).

The angry worm eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Peter Henry John Castle and John E. McCosker in 1999. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the eastern Indian and western central Pacific Ocean, including India, Indonesia, the Straits of Malacca, northern Australia, and the Philippines. It is known to inhabit shallow, turbid estuaries, and to a lesser extent the deeper water over soft substrates. Males can reach a maximum total length of 29.6 centimetres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark-shouldered snake eel</span> Species of fish

The dark-shouldered snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1864. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the Pacific Ocean, including the East Indies, the Society Islands, the Mariana Islands, Queensland, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Japan, and India. It dwells at a depth range of 2–15 metres, and inhabits reefs. It forms burrows in mud and sand, and forages during the night. Males can reach a maximum total length of 115 centimetres.

The bigfin snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1853. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific. It dwells at a depth range of 0–25 metres, and inhabits sand and mud. Males can reach a maximum total length of 92 centimetres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Many-eyed snake eel</span> Species of fish

The many-eyed snake eel is a species of eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1864. It is a tropical, marine and freshwater-dwelling eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa and the Hawaiian Islands. It dwells at a depth of 2 to 25 metres, and inhabits sand and rubble sediments near coral reefs. Males can reach a total length of 62.5 centimetres (24.6 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive snake eel</span> Species of fish

The olive snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1853, originally under the genus Ophisurus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific. It forms burrows in soft sediments in shallow waters, and leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Males can reach a maximum total length of 95 centimetres (37 in).

Hoeven's snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1853, originally under the genus Ophisurus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from three specimens found in the Indo-Western Pacific, including Sulawesi, Indonesia, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It is known to inhabit shallow water and lagoons. Males are known to reach a total length of 22 centimetres (8.7 in).

References

  1. Common names of Muraenichthys schultzei at www.fishbase.org.
  2. 1 2 3 Muraenichthys schultzei at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Bleeker, P., 1857 [ref. 16868] Descriptiones specierum piscium javanensium novarum vel minus cognitarum diagnosticae. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië v. 13: 323-368.