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.
Gymnothorax is a genus of fish in the family Muraenidae found in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. With more than 120 species, it the most speciose genus of moray eels.
The garden eels are the subfamily Heterocongrinae in the conger eel family Congridae. The majority of the 36 known species of garden eels live in the Indo-Pacific, but can be found in warm ocean water worldwide. These small eels live in burrows on the sea floor and get their name from the behavior of poking their heads from their burrows while most of their bodies remain hidden. Since they tend to live in groups, the many eel heads "growing" from the sea floor resemble the plants in a garden. They vary in color and size depending on the species. The largest species reaches about 120 cm (47 in) in length, but most species do not surpass 60 cm (24 in). Garden eel colonies can grow as large as one acre in surface area and number up to several thousand individuals.
Bascanichthys is a genus of eels in the snake eel family Ophichthidae. It currently contains the following species:
Gordiichthys 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.
The longfin worm 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, tropical eel which is known from Colombia, in the western central Atlantic Ocean. It is known to dwell within one meter of the surface.
The Diminutive worm 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 the western Atlantic Ocean.
Pseudomyrophis nimius is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by James Erwin Böhlke in 1960. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from the Atlantic Ocean, including Angola, the Gulf of Mexico, and Florida Atlantic. It is known to dwell at a depth range of 320 to 755 metres. Males can reach a maximum total length of 36.7 centimetres (14.4 in).
Bascanichthys inopinatus 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 which is known from the western central Pacific Ocean.
Callechelys cliffi, the sandy ridgefin eel, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by James Erwin Böhlke and John Carmon Briggs in 1954. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the eastern central Pacific Ocean, including Mexico and Panama. It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 30 metres, and inhabits sand sediments. Males can reach a maximum standard length of 45.5 centimetres (17.9 in).
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.
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.
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).
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.
