Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); lupus: Name from Latin 'lupus' meaning wolf, referring to the shape of the snout.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 191 - 237 m (Ref. 131479). Subtropical
Northwest Pacific: East China Sea.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 55.6 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 131479); 84.2 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 180 - 182. This species is distinguished by the following characters: head 7.8-8.1% TL; tail 58-59%; TL; body depth at gill opening 2.6-3.1% TL; snout 24% HL; posterior nostril opening is above the upper lip, concealed by a broad dermal flap; absence of small papillae on snout, lips and lower jaw, except along inner lip between anterior and posterior nostrils; one + four supraorbital pores; mandibular pores 6 or 7; preopercular pores 2; teeth on maxilla biserial anteriorly and uniserial posteriorly or completely uniserial, vomer uniserial or irregularly uniserial; pectoral fin short, its length 20-25% HL, round in shape; dorsal-fin origin is behind pectoral-fin tip 0.5-0.9 times pectoral-fin length (i.e. horizontal distance from a vertical through gill opening to the origin 1.5-1.9 in the fin length and 0.4 times head length); anal fin clear without a dark colored margin; 13 predorsal vertebrae 13, preanal 68-69, total 180-182 (Ref. 131479).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Hibino, Y., J.E. McCosker and F. Tashiro, 2019. Four new deepwater Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from Japan with a redescription of Ophichthus pallens (Richardson 1848). Ichthyological Research 66(2):289-306. (Ref. 131479)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100).