Ophichthidae is a family of fish in the order Anguilliformes, commonly known as the snake eels. The term "Ophichthidae" comes from Greek ophis ("serpent") and ichthys ("fish"). Snake eels are also burrowing eels. They are named for their physical appearance, as they have long, cylindrical, snake-like bodies. This family is found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate waters. They inhabit a wide range of habitats, from coastal shallows and even rivers, to depths below . Most species are bottom dwellers, hiding in mud or sand to capture their prey of crustaceans and small fish, but some are pelagic.
These species range in total length from to or more. Many species lack fins altogether, improving their ability to burrow into the substrate like worms. They are often spotted or striped in colour, mimicking the appearance of venomous sea snakes to deter predators. Often, they are washed ashore by large storms.
Genera Currently, 62 recognized genera are placed in this family: Subfamily Myrophinae Kaup, 1856 Ahlia D. S. Jordan & Davis, 1891 Asarcenchelys McCosker, 1985 Benthenchelys Fowler, 1934 Glenoglossa McCosker, 1982 Mixomyrophis McCosker, 1985 Muraenichthys Bleeker, 1853 Myrophis Lütken, 1852 Neenchelys Bamber, 1915 Pseudomyrophis Wade, 1946 Pylorobranchus McCosker & H.-M. Chen, 2012McCosker, J.E., Loh, K.-H., Lin, J. & Chen, H.-M. (2012): Pylorobranchus hoi, a New Genus and Species of Myrophine Worm-Eel from Taiwan (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). Zoological Studies, 51 (7): 1188–1194. Schismorhynchus McCosker, 1970 Schultzidia Gosline, 1951 Scolecenchelys Ogilby, 1897 Skythrenchelys Castle & McCosker, 1999 Sympenchelys Hibino, H. C. Ho & Kimura, 2015Hibino, Y., Ho, H.-C. & Kimura, S. (2015): A new genus and species of worm eels, Sympenchelys taiwanensis (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae: Myrophinae), from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Zootaxa, 4060 (1): 41–48. Subfamily Ophichthinae Günther, 1870 Allips McCosker, 1972 Aplatophis Böhlke, 1956 Aprognathodon Böhlke, 1967 Apterichtus A. M. C. Duméril, 1805 Bascanichthys D. S. Jordan & Davis, 1891 Brachysomophis Kaup, 1856 Caecula Vahl, 1794 Callechelys Kaup, 1856 Caralophia Böhlke, 1955 Chauligenion McCosker & Okamoto, 2016McCosker, J.E. & Okamoto, M. (2016): Chauligenion camelopardalis, a New Genus and Species of Deepwater Snake Eel (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the East China Sea. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 63 (9): 321–328. Cirrhimuraena Kaup, 1856 Cirricaecula Schultz, 1953 Dalophis Rafinesque, 1810 Echelus Rafinesque, 1810 Echiophis Kaup, 1856 Ethadophis Rosenblatt & McCosker, 1970 Evips McCosker, 1972 Gordiichthys D. S. Jordan & Davis, 1891 Hemerorhinus Weber & de Beaufort, 1916 Herpetoichthys Kaup, 1856 Hyphalophis McCosker & Böhlke, 1982 Ichthyapus Brisout de Barneville, 1847 Kertomichthys McCosker & Böhlke, 1982 Lamnostoma Kaup, 1856 Leiuranus Bleeker, 1852 Leptenchelys Myers & Wade, 1941 Letharchus Goode & T. H. Bean, 1882 Lethogoleos McCosker & Böhlke, 1982 Leuropharus Rosenblatt & McCosker, 1970 Luthulenchelys McCosker, 2007 Malvoliophis Whitley, 1934 Myrichthys Girard, 1859 Mystriophis Kaup, 1856 Ophichthus Ahl, 1789 Ophisurus Lacépède, 1800 Paraletharchus McCosker, 1974 Phaenomonas Myers & Wade, 1941 Phyllophichthus Gosline, 1951 Pisodonophis Kaup, 1856 Quassiremus D. S. Jordan & Davis, 1891 Rhinophichthus McCosker, 1999 Scytalichthys Jordan & Davis, 1891 Stictorhinus Böhlke & McCosker, 1975 Suculentophichthus R. Fricke, Golani & Appelbaum-Golani, 2015Fricke, R., Golani, D. & Appelbaum-Golani, B. (2015): Suculentophichthus nasus, a new genus and new species of snake eel from the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (Teleostei: Ophichthidae). Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 16: 56–66. Xestochilus McCosker, 1998 Xyrias Jordan & Snyder, 1901 Yirrkala Whitley, 1940
Fossil genera
The following fossil genera are also known:
†Asanoa Sytchevskaya & Prokofiev, 2004 (earliest Eocene of Turkmenistan) †Eomyrus Storms, 1896 (middle Eocene of Belgium) †Goslinophis Blot, 1981 (early Eocene of Italy) †Micromyrus Casier, 1967 (early Eocene of Germany) †Palaeomyrus Casier, 1967 (early Eocene of Germany) †Parechelus Casier, 1967 (early Eocene of Germany, potentially late Eocene of Tonga). Potentially in own family Parechelidae
References