The palespotted eel[2] (Ophichthus puncticeps) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[3] It was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1859, originally under the genus Cryptopterus.[4] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western Atlantic Ocean, including North Carolina, USA, the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, and Brazil. It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 150 meters (0 to 492 ft), most often at around 5 to 40 meters (16 to 131 ft). Males can reach a maximum total length of 81 centimeters (32 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 60 centimeters (24 in).[3]
Palespotted eel | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anguilliformes |
Family: | Ophichthidae |
Genus: | Ophichthus |
Species: | O. puncticeps
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Binomial name | |
Ophichthus puncticeps (Kaup, 1859)
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Synonyms[1] | |
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References
edit- ^ Synonyms of Ophichthus puncticeps at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Common names of Ophichthus puncticeps at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b Ophichthus puncticeps at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Kaup, J. J., 1859 [ref. 2586] Neue aalaehnliche Fische des Hamburger Museums, beschriebén und abgebildet. Abhandlungen aus dem Gebiete der Naturwissenschaften herausgegeben von dem Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein in Hamburg v. 4 (no. 2): 1-29 + suppl. 1-4, Pls. 1-5.