Ophichthus microstictus is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[1] It was described by John E. McCosker in 2010.[2] 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 (1,188 to 1,476 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 48.9 centimetres (19.3 in).[1]
| Ophichthus microstictus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Ophichthus |
| Species: | O. microstictus
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| Binomial name | |
| Ophichthus microstictus J. E. McCosker, 2010
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The species epithet "microstictus" means "small punctures" in Greek, and is treated as a noun in apposition. It refers to the small pores on the eel's head.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Ophichthus microstictus at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ McCosker, J. E. 2010 (14 June) [ref. 30840] Deepwater Indo-Pacific species of the snake-eel genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa No. 2505: 1-39.
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