Classification / Names
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Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Sui-ting Woo was an assistant to Professor H N Fey at Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China), the finder of this species. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Subtropical
Distribution
Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Western Pacific.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
According to Chen (1929), the species has the following morphological features (viewed to be similar to O. macrochir, Ref. 133101): strongly wrinkled body; head 6.0% TL; body depth
1.4% TL (70.8 in TL); eye 6.2% HL; snout 18.7% HL; pectoral-fin length ~ 20% HL; dorsal-fin origin slightly behind the tip of pectoral fin; SO ?1 (ethmoid not obvious) + 4, POM 5 + 2; preanal lateral-line pores 68; teeth on maxilla mostly uniserial, on mandible is biserial; teeth on vomer bi- or triserial. Colouration: body color uniformly blackish (Ref. 133101).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Smith, D.G. and J.E. McCosker, 1997. Ophichthidae. Snake eels, worm eels. p. 1662-1669. In K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the WCP. Vol. 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome. (Ref. 39782)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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