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, 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.
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).
Ophichthus aniptocheilos 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 Tonga, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 391 to 421 m. Males can reach a maximum total length of 14.2 cm (5.6 in).
The thin snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Richard Heinrich Rosenblatt in 1998. It is a marine, tropical eel known from the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including Mexico and Colombia. It is known from two specimens observed dwelling in sand at a depth range of 0 to 8 m. The maximum length recorded was 23.1 cm (9.1 in), albeit on an immature specimen.
The dark deepwater snake-eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Chen Yu-Yun in 2000. 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, 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.
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 congroides 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 Tuamotu Islands, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 300 metres (980 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 52.2 centimetres (20.6 in), while females can reach a maximum TL of 47.2 centimetres (18.6 in).
Ophichthus exourus 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 New Caledonia and Fiji, in the western Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 400 to 520 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 66.9 centimetres (26.3 in), while females can reach a maximum TL of 59 centimetres (23 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 hirritus 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 Seychelles Islands, in the western Indian Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 600 metres (2,000 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 52.8 centimetres (20.8 in), while females can reach a maximum TL of 53.4 centimetres (21.0 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 ishiyamorum 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 Gulf of Aden and Somalia. It dwells at a depth range of 258 to 400 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 43.7 centimetres (17.2 in).
Ophichthus lentiginosus 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 and New Caledonia, in the western central Pacific Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 400 metres (1,300 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 62.8 centimetres (24.7 in), while females can reach a maximum TL of 56.3 centimetres (22.2 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 melope is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John E. McCosker and Richard Heinrich Rosenblatt in 1998. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including Colombia and Costa Rica. It dwells at a depth range of 100 to 224 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 27 centimetres (11 in).
Ophichthus microstictus 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 western central Pacific Ocean, including Tonga, Fiji, and New Caledonia. It dwells at a depth range of 362 to 450 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 48.9 centimetres (19.3 in).
The Long Bodied Snake EelOphichthus longicorpus is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It is found in Lương Sơn, Nha Trang, Vietnam.
The Deepwater demonic snake eelOphichthus naga is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was collected off Myanmar.
The Long-bodied Snake Eel Ophichthus shaoi is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It is found around Taiwan. This species reaches a length of 62.3 cm (24.5 in).
