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.
Ophichthus is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.
Schultzidia is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. The name of this genus honors American ichthyologist Leonard Peter Schultz (1901-1986), one of the describers of the type species, Muraenichthys johnstonensis. It currently contains the following species:
Scolecenchelys aoki, the Misaki worm eel or Japan earthworm conger, 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).
Bascanichthys myersi is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Albert William Herre in 1932. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the western central Pacific Ocean, including Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, in the Philippines.
Cirricaecula macdowelli is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and John Ernest Randall in 1993. It is a subtropical, marine eel which is known from Taiwan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Males can reach a maximum total length of 22.8 centimetres.
Hemerorhinus opici is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Jacques Blache and Marie-Louise Bauchot in 1972. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including Senegal and Angola. It inhabits shallow waters near to shore, and forms burrows in sand and mud substrates. Males can reach a maximum total length of 32.5 centimetres (12.8 in).
Lamnostoma taylori is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Albert William Herre in 1923, originally under the genus Caecula. It is a tropical, freshwater eel which is known from the Philippines in Asia, where it inhabits rivers near the sea. Males can reach a maximum standard length of 16.4 centimetres (6.5 in).
Ophichthus alleni is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker in 2010. It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel known from Australia, in the western Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 115 to 200 m. Females can reach a maximum total length of 76 cm (30 in).
The Napoleon snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1856, originally under the genus Poecilocephalus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including Durban, South Africa, Mauritius, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, and the Penghu Islands. It is known to dwell at a depth of 20 metres (66 ft), and inhabits lagoons and reefs; it forms solitary burrows in sand sediments. Males can reach a maximum total length of 75 centimetres (30 in).
Ophichthus genie is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker in 1999. It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including New Caledonia and Maldives. It dwells at a depth range of 430 to 500 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 33.7 centimetres (13.3 in).
Ophichthus humanni is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker in 2010. It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is known from Vanuatu, in the western Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 254 to 300 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 66.9 centimetres (26.3 in).
Ophichthus machidai is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker, S. Ide, and Hiromitsu Endo in 2012.
Ophichthus tomioi is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker in 2010. It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines, the Seychelles Islands, Marquesas, and Fiji. It dwells at a depth range of 300 to 423 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 44.7 centimetres (17.6 in).
Ophichthus tsuchidae is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by David Starr Jordan and John Otterbein Snyder in 1901. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from Japan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Males can reach a maximum total length of 50 centimeters (20 in).
Pisodonophis copelandi is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Albert William Herre in 1953. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Philippines, in the western central Pacific Ocean. Males can reach a maximum standard length of 30.8 centimetres (12.1 in).
John Edward McCosker is an American ichthyologist and as has been part of expeditions to many countries such as Antarctic, Australia, and the Galapagos. After extensive study and ten expeditions he is one of the foremost experts on the Galapagos. He has been featured in various different television documentaries as well as working with filmmakers and other documentary programs off screen.
Ophichthus longicorpus is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It is found in Lương Sơn, Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Ophichthus naga, the deepwater demonic snake eel, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was collected off Myanmar.
Ophichthus shaoi, the long-bodied snake eel, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It is found around Taiwan. This species reaches a length of 62.3 cm (24.5 in).
