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.
Rasbora is a genus of fish in the family Cyprinidae. They are native to freshwater habitats in South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeast China. A single species, R. gerlachi, is only known from an old specimen that reputedly originated from Africa (Cameroon), but this locality is considered doubtful. They are small, up to 17 cm (6.7 in) long, although most species do not surpass 10 cm (4 in) and many have a dark horizontal stripe.
Ichthyapus is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.
Lamnostoma is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It currently contains the following species:
Muraenichthys is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.
Scolecenchelys is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae.
Yirrkala is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It is named after Yirrkala, an indigenous community in Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Glossamia is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Apogonidae. The majority of the species are endemic to New Guinea, but G. aprion is also found in Australia.
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).
The fintail serpent 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 the Indian Ocean, including Pakistan, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. It inhabits burrows in soft sediments, and leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Males can reach a maximum total length of 30 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).
Yirrkala omanensis also known as the Oman snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by John Roxborough Norman in 1939, originally under the genus Sphagebranchus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Gulf of Oman, in the western Indian Ocean. It is known to dwell at a depth of 73 metres (240 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 23 centimetres (9.1 in).
The Vulture sand eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber and Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort in 1916, originally under the genus Sphagebranchus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including Mascarenes, Pitcairn, Japan, Australia, Micronesia, and Easter Island. It dwells in inshore waters at a depth range of 2 to 18 metres, and forms burrows in soft, sandy sediments.
The freshwater snake-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 tropical, freshwater eel which is known from Asia and Oceania, including New Caledonia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vanuatu. Males can reach a maximum total length of 41 centimetres.
Yirrkala chaselingi, known commonly as the chingilt in Australia, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Gilbert Percy Whitley in 1940. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western central Pacific Ocean.
Yirrkala kaupii is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1858, originally under the genus Sphagebranchus. It is a tropical, freshwater eel which is known from Indonesia and the Philippines. Males can reach a maximum total length of 35 centimetres (14 in).
Yirrkala macrodon is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1863, originally under the genus Sphagebranchus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Borneo, in the western central Pacific Ocean.
The Misol snake eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1872, originally under the genus Ophichthys. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western central Pacific Ocean.
The thin sand-eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1870, originally under the genus Ophichthys. It is a tropical, marine and freshwater eel which is known from the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea, South Africa, Mauritius and Réunion. Males can reach a maximum total length of 53 centimetres (21 in).
The earthworm snake-eelYirrkala lumbricoides, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific. It is known to dwell at a depth of 20 metres. Males can reach a total length of 44 centimetres.
