Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); microstictus: Named for its minute cephalic pores (Greek 'mikros' for small and 'stiktos' for punctures); noun in apposition..
More on author: McCosker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 200 - 450 m (Ref. 84366). Deep-water
Western Central Pacific: off Tonga, Fiji, and possibly New Caledonia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 48.9 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 84366)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 151 - 156. This moderately elongate species of Ophichthus, subgenus Coecilophis is distinguished by the following characters: tail 57-59% and head 11% of total length; origin of dorsal-fin slightly ahead of pectoral-fin tips; moderately elongate pectoral fins, wedge-shaped, is shorter than jaw; posterior nostril a hole in upper lip and is covered by a flap; minute, inconspicuous head pores, SO 1+4, IO 4+2, POM 2-3+6; small, conical and numerous teeth, uniserial on vomer, mandible and anterior and posterior portions of maxillary, which are irregularly biserial; pale in color, slightly darker dorsally, irregular faint white patches beneath lateral midline, all fins pale; mean vertebral formula 13/56/154, total vertebrae 151-156 (Ref. 84366).
Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 86942.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
McCosker, J.E., 2010. Deepwater Indo-Pacific species of the snake-eel genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa 2505:1-39. (Ref. 84366)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 6.6 - 8.4, mean 6.9 °C (based on 8 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00089 (0.00039 - 0.00204), b=3.00 (2.80 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100).
