Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 64 m (Ref. 58018). Tropical; 26°N - 29°N, 98°W - 81°W
Western Atlantic: northern Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas in USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 211 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); max. published weight: 23.6 kg (Ref. 40637)
Very large, TL 2.4 m; dorsal fin origin well behind tip of pectoral fin; 14-15 dark olive-brown, saddle-shaped markings along back. Dorsal and anal fins striped at bases, pectoral fin darker on dorsal half (Ref. 26938).
Inhabits offshore water from 15-365 m depth. Commonly caught by anglers near oil rigs.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
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
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): 4.3 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 53 [31, 96] mg/100g; Iron = 0.758 [0.438, 1.299] mg/100g; Protein = 18.2 [16.0, 20.7] %; Omega3 = 0.151 [0.063, 0.398] g/100g; Selenium = 94.2 [49.6, 201.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 8.95 [2.71, 27.86] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.731 [0.535, 1.038] mg/100g (wet weight);