The dark deepwater snake eel[1] (Ophichthus aphotistos) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae.[2] It was described by John E. McCosker and Chen Yu-Yun in 2000.[3] 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 (most commonly 250–350 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.[2]
| Dark deepwater snake eel | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Ophichthus |
| Species: | O. aphotistos
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| Binomial name | |
| Ophichthus aphotistos J. E. McCosker & Y. Y. Chen, 2000
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The specific epithet aphotistos, meaning dark or obscure, refers both to the eel's appearance and its habitat.[2]
References
edit- ^ Common names for Ophichthus aphotistos at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b c Ophichthus aphotistos at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ McCosker, J. E. and Y.-Y. Chen, 2000 [ref. 25028] A new species of deepwater snake-eel, Ophichthus aphotistos, with comments on Neenchelys retropinna (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from Taiwan. Ichthyological Research v. 47 (no. 4): 353-357.
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