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Family: Ophichthidae Snake eels



(See list of species below)


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338 species (see list below)
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Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Ahlia egmontis Key worm eel Western Atlantic 43 TL 1884
Allips concolor Eastern Indian Ocean 1972
Aplatophis chauliodus Fangtooth snake-eel Western Atlantic 84 TL 1956
Aplatophis zorro Snaggle-toothed snake-eel Eastern Central Pacific 103.9 TL 2001
Aprognathodon platyventris Stripe eel Western Central Atlantic 46 TL 1967
Apterichtus anguiformis Slender finless eel Eastern Atlantic 49.3 TL 1877
Apterichtus ansp Academy eel Western Atlantic 54 TL 1968
Apterichtus australis Snake eel Western Central Pacific 57 TL 2005
Apterichtus caecus European finless eel Eastern Atlantic 60 TL 1758
Apterichtus dunalailai Western Central Pacific 28.9 TL 2015
Apterichtus equatorialis Equatorial eel Eastern Pacific 31.2 TL 1941
Apterichtus flavicaudus Eastern Central Pacific 80 TL 1904
Apterichtus gracilis Eastern Central Atlantic 31.9 TL 1856
Apterichtus hatookai Orange blotched eel Northwest Pacific 53.4 TL 2014
Apterichtus jeffwilliamsi Western Central Pacific 30.5 TL 2015
Apterichtus kendalli Finless eel Western Atlantic 60 TL 1891
Apterichtus keramanus Western Pacific 1997
Apterichtus klazingai Sharpsnout snake eel Indo-Pacific 40 TL 1913
Apterichtus malabar Southwest Pacific 41.4 TL 2015
Apterichtus monodi Eastern Atlantic 49.5 TL 1966
Apterichtus moseri Northwest Pacific 5.0 TL 1901
Apterichtus mysi Eastern Central Pacific 30.1 TL 2015
Apterichtus nariculus Western Pacific 30.8 TL 2015
Apterichtus orientalis Northwest Pacific 44.3 TL 1994
Apterichtus soyoae Northwest Pacific 17.1 TL 2018
Apterichtus succinus Eastern Central Pacific 17.5 TL 2016
Asarcenchelys longimanus Southwest Atlantic 1985
Bascanichthys bascanium Sooty eel Western Atlantic 70 TL 1884
Bascanichthys bascanoides Sooty sand eel Eastern Central Pacific 77 TL 1916
Bascanichthys ceciliae Eastern Atlantic 82.5 TL 1971
Bascanichthys cylindricus Round sand-eel Eastern Central Pacific 88 TL 1923
Bascanichthys deraniyagalai Indian longtailed sand-eel Indian Ocean 60 TL 1961
Bascanichthys fijiensis Western Central Pacific 35 TL 1935
Bascanichthys filaria Western Central Pacific 60.1 TL 1872
Bascanichthys gaira Colombian sand eel Western Central Atlantic 47.7 TL 2016
Bascanichthys inopinatus Western Atlantic 1989
Bascanichthys kabeyawan Kabeyawan sand eel Northwest Pacific 52.6 TL 2022
Bascanichthys kirkii Longtailed sand-eel Western Indian Ocean 54 TL 1870
Bascanichthys longipinnis Pacific Ocean 1867
Bascanichthys myersi Western Central Pacific 78.6 TL 1932
Bascanichthys panamensis Panama sand eel Eastern Central Pacific 76 TL 1923
Bascanichthys paulensis Atlantic 62.3 TL 1939
Bascanichthys pusillus Western Central Pacific. 1917
Bascanichthys ryukyuensis Vine-like sand eel Northwest Pacific 62.7 TL 2022
Bascanichthys scuticaris Whip eel Western Atlantic 76 TL 1880
Bascanichthys sibogae Western Central Pacific 23.7 TL 1913
Benthenchelys cartieri Western Central Pacific 1934
Benthenchelys indicus Eastern Indian Ocean 1972
Benthenchelys pacificus Eastern Central Pacific 1972
Brachysomophis atlanticus Eastern Atlantic 27.3 TL 1972
Brachysomophis cirrocheilos Stargazer snake eel Indo-West Pacific 159 TL 1857
Brachysomophis crocodilinus Crocodile snake eel Indo-Pacific 120 TL 1833
Brachysomophis henshawi Reptilian snake eel Indo-Pacific. 120 TL 1904
Brachysomophis longipinnis Northwest Pacific 42.1 TL 2001
Brachysomophis porphyreus Northwest Pacific 129.5 TL 1846
Brachysomophis umbonis Turret snake eel Indo-West Pacific 13.9 TL 2001
Caecula kuro Northwest Pacific 60 TL 1947
Caecula pterygera Finny snake eel Indian Ocean 30 TL 1794
Callechelys bilinearis Twostripe snake eel Western Atlantic 170 TL 1952
Callechelys bitaeniata Western Indian Ocean 82 TL 1877
Callechelys catostoma Black-striped snake eel Indo-Pacific 85 TL 1801
Callechelys cliffi Sandy ridgefin eel Eastern Central Pacific 45.5 SL 1954
Callechelys eristigma Spotted ridgefin eel Eastern Central Pacific 113 SL 1972
Callechelys galapagensis Southeast Pacific 1972
Callechelys guineensis Shorttail snake eel Western Atlantic 108 TL 1893
Callechelys leucoptera Eastern Atlantic 73 TL 1954
Callechelys lutea Yellow-spotted snake eel Pacific Ocean 104 TL 1904
Callechelys maculatus Northwest Pacific 33.8 TL 1981
Callechelys marmorata Marbled snake eel Indo-Pacific, 87 TL 1854
Callechelys muraena Blotched snake eel Western Atlantic 60 TL 1887
Callechelys papulosa Blistered snake eel Western Central Pacific 55.1 TL 1998
Callechelys randalli Eastern Central Pacific 46.4 TL 1998
Callechelys springeri Ridgefin eel Western Atlantic 80.1 TL 1951
Caralophia loxochila Slantlip eel Western Atlantic 46 TL 1955
Cirrhimuraena calamus Fringelip snake eel Eastern Indian Ocean 1870
Cirrhimuraena cheilopogon Western Central Pacific 1860
Cirrhimuraena chinensis Western Pacific 54.8 SL 1856
Cirrhimuraena inhacae Inhaca fringelip Western Indian Ocean 23 TL 1962
Cirrhimuraena oliveri Western Central Pacific 1910
Cirrhimuraena orientalis Western Pacific 1993
Cirrhimuraena paucidens Western Central Pacific. 1931
Cirrhimuraena playfairii Indo-Pacific 39 TL 1870
Cirrhimuraena tapeinoptera Indo-West Pacific. 1863
Cirrhimuraena yuanding Northwest Pacific 52.1 TL 2003
Cirricaecula johnsoni Western Central Pacific 40 1953
Cirricaecula macdowelli Northwest Pacific 22.8 TL 1993
Dalophis boulengeri Eastern Atlantic 57.4 TL 1970
Dalophis cephalopeltis Eastern Atlantic 53.5 TL 1863
Dalophis imberbis Armless snake eel Eastern Atlantic 150 TL 1809
Dalophis multidentatus Eastern Atlantic 15.3 TL 1972
Dalophis obtusirostris Eastern Atlantic 38.8 TL 1972
Echelus myrus Painted eel Eastern Atlantic 100 TL 1758
Echelus pachyrhynchus Eastern Atlantic 48.5 TL 1888
Echelus polyspondylus Many-vertebrae snake eel Northwest Pacific 56.7 TL 2015
Echelus uropterus Finned worm eel Indo-Pacific 60 TL 1846
Echiophis brunneus Fangjaw eel Eastern Central Pacific 140 TL 1983
Echiophis intertinctus Spotted spoon-nose eel Western Atlantic 180 TL 1848
Echiophis punctifer Stippled spoon-nose eel Western Atlantic 180 TL 1859
Ethadophis akkistikos Indifferent eel Western Central Atlantic. 1984
Ethadophis byrnei Ordinary eel Eastern Central Pacific 51 TL 1970
Ethadophis merenda Snack eel Eastern Central Pacific 53 TL 1970
Evips percinctus False saddled snake eel Western Central Pacific 12.6 TL 1972
Glenoglossa wassi Angler snake eel Pacific Ocean 15 TL 1982
Gordiichthys combibus Eastern Central Pacific 40.6 TL 2001
Gordiichthys ergodes Irksone eel Western Central Atlantic 1989
Gordiichthys irretitus Horsehair eel Western Central Atlantic 76 TL 1891
Gordiichthys leibyi String eel Western Central Atlantic 1984
Gordiichthys randalli Western Central Atlantic 1984
Hemerorhinus heyningi Molo snake eel Indo-West Pacific 11.5 TL 1913
Hemerorhinus opici Eastern Atlantic 32.5 TL 1972
Herpetoichthys fossatus Mustachioed snake-eel Eastern Central Pacific 55 TL 1941
Herpetoichthys regius Ornate Snake Eel Eastern Atlantic 90 TL 1848
Hyphalophis devius Western Central Atlantic 1982
Ichthyapus acuticeps Sharpnose sand-eel Western Indian Ocean 40 TL 1923
Ichthyapus acutirostris Southern Pacific 53.1 TL 1847
Ichthyapus insularis Southeast Atlantic 42.7 TL 2004
Ichthyapus ophioneus Surf eel Western Atlantic 45 TL 1900
Ichthyapus platyrhynchus Eastern Pacific 1951
Ichthyapus selachops Smiling snake-eel Eastern Pacific 54 TL 1882
Ichthyapus vulturis Vulture sand eel Indo-Pacific 60 TL 1916
Kertomichthys blastorhinos Western Central Atlantic 1963
Lamnostoma kampeni Freshwater snake-eel Asia and Oceania 41 TL 1916
Lamnostoma mindora Asia and Oceania 40 TL 1908
Lamnostoma orientale Oriental worm-eel Indo-West Pacific 36 TL 1844
Lamnostoma polyophthalmum Ocellated sand-eel Indo-Pacific 32.5 1853
Lamnostoma taylori Asia 16.4 SL 1923
Leiuranus semicinctus Saddled snake-eel Indo-Pacific 66 TL 1839
Leiuranus versicolor Convict snake eel Pacific Ocean 75.4 TL 1848
Leptenchelys vermiformis Slender worm-eel Eastern Central Pacific 11.5 SL 1941
Leptocephalus ophichthoides Western Indian Ocean 1928
Letharchus aliculatus Southwest Atlantic 21.5 TL 1974
Letharchus rosenblatti Sailfin snake-eel Eastern Pacific 35 TL 1974
Letharchus velifer Sailfin eel Western Atlantic 51 TL 1882
Lethogoleos andersoni Forgetful snake eel Western Atlantic 1982
Leuropharus lasiops Acned snake-eel Eastern Central Pacific 17 TL 1970
Luthulenchelys heemstraorum Western Indian Ocean 47.3 TL 2007
Malvoliophis pinguis Halfband snake eel Western Pacific. 1872
Mixomyrophis longidorsalis Red Sea worm eel Western Indian Ocean 7.7 TL 2014
Mixomyrophis pusillipinna Western Central Atlantic 1985
Muraenichthys elerae Western Central Pacific 1934
Muraenichthys gymnopterus Western Pacific 30 TL 1853
Muraenichthys philippinensis Philippines worm eel Western Central Pacific 30 TL 1949
Muraenichthys schultzei Maimed snake eel Indo-Pacific 24 TL 1857
Muraenichthys sibogae Siboga worm eel Pacific Ocean 13.5 TL 1916
Muraenichthys thompsoni Thompson's snake eel Western Central Pacific 1908
Myrichthys aspetocheiros Longfin spotted snake-eel Eastern Central Pacific 51 TL 1993
Myrichthys breviceps Sharptail eel Western Atlantic 102 TL 1848
Myrichthys colubrinus Harlequin snake eel Indo-Pacific 97 TL 1781
Myrichthys maculosus Tiger snake eel Indo-Pacific 100 TL 1816
Myrichthys magnificus Magnificent snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 78 TL 1860
Myrichthys ocellatus Goldspotted eel Western Atlantic 110 TL 1825
Myrichthys paleracio Whitenose snake eel Western Pacific 50 TL 2012
Myrichthys pantostigmius Clarion snake eel Eastern Pacific 49.4 TL 1898
Myrichthys pardalis Leopard eel Eastern Atlantic 64.8 TL 1839
Myrichthys tigrinus Spotted snake-eel Eastern Pacific 74 TL 1859
Myrichthys xysturus Eastern Central Pacific 1882
Myrophis anterodorsalis Longfin worm eel Western Central Atlantic 1989
Myrophis lepturus Western Indian Ocean 1968
Myrophis microchir Ordinary snake eel Indo- West Pacific 39 TL 1864
Myrophis platyrhynchus Broadnose worm eel Western Central Atlantic 21 TL 1927
Myrophis plumbeus Leaden worm eel Eastern Atlantic 46.5 TL 1871
Myrophis punctatus Speckled worm-eel Western Atlantic 35.3 TL 1852
Myrophis vafer Pacific worm eel Eastern Pacific 47 TL 1883
Mystriophis crosnieri Eastern Atlantic 96.5 TL 1971
Mystriophis rostellatus African spoon-nose eel Eastern Atlantic 140 TL 1848
Neenchelys buitendijki Fintail serpent eel Indo-West Pacific 30 TL 1916
Neenchelys cheni Chen's worm eel Indo-Pacific 35 SL 1967
Neenchelys daedalus New Guinea worm eel Western Pacific 34.2 TL 1982
Neenchelys diaphora Longfin work eel Northwest Pacific 47.5 TL 2015
Neenchelys mccoskeri McCosker’s worm eel Northwestern Pacific 52.2 TL 2012
Neenchelys microtretus Small-fin worm eel Western Indian Ocean 18.3 TL 1915
Neenchelys nudiceps Indonesian deep-sea worm eel Eastern Indian Ocean 78.2 TL 2015
Neenchelys parvipectoralis Mini-fin work eel Northwestern Pacific 32.8 TL 1981
Neenchelys pelagica Pelagic worm eel Northwest Pacific 39.2 TL 2015
Neenchelys similis Slender work eel Western Pacific 75.6 TL 2015
Ophichthus alleni Western Pacific 76 TL 2010
Ophichthus altipennis Highfin snake eel Indo-Pacific. 120 TL 1856
Ophichthus aniptocheilos Eastern Central Pacific 14.2 TL 2010
Ophichthus apachus Thin snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 23.1 TL 1998
Ophichthus aphotistos Dark deepwater snake-eel Northwest Pacific 62.8 TL 2000
Ophichthus apicalis Bluntnose snake-eel Indo-Pacific 100 TL 1830
Ophichthus arneutes Southeast Pacific 30.6 TL 1998
Ophichthus asakusae Northwest Pacific 70 TL 1901
Ophichthus bicolor Bicolored snake eel Northwest Pacific 92.7 TL 2015
Ophichthus bonaparti Napoleon snake eel Indo-Pacific 75 TL 1856
Ophichthus brachynotopterus Western Indian Ocean 46.1 TL 1983
Ophichthus brasiliensis Southwest Atlantic 1856
Ophichthus brevicaudatus Northwest Pacific 1981
Ophichthus brevidorsalis Short dorsal-fin snake eel Western Pacific 39.8 TL 2019
Ophichthus brevirostris Snubnose snake eel Western Atlantic Ocean 29.2 TL 2007
Ophichthus celebicus Western Pacific 1856
Ophichthus cephalozona Dark-shouldered snake eel Indo-Pacific 115 TL 1864
Ophichthus congroides Eastern Central Pacific 52.2 TL 2010
Ophichthus cruentifer Margined snake eel Western Atlantic 46.7 TL 1896
Ophichthus cylindroideus Dusky snake eel Western Atlantic 93.3 TL 1839
Ophichthus echeloides Western Indian Ocean 51 TL 1928
Ophichthus erabo Blotched snake-eel Indo-Pacific 72 TL 1901
Ophichthus exourus Western Pacific 66.9 TL 1999
Ophichthus fasciatus Northwest Pacific 11.5 TL 1981
Ophichthus fowleri Fowler's snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 92 TL 1903
Ophichthus frontalis Deathbanded snakeeel Eastern Central Pacific 86 TL 1899
Ophichthus genie Indo-Pacific 33.7 TL 1999
Ophichthus gomesii Shrimp eel Western Atlantic 91.4 TL 1855
Ophichthus grandoculis Eastern Indian Ocean 1849
Ophichthus hirritus Western Indian Ocean 53.4 TL 2010
Ophichthus humanni Western Pacific 66.9 TL 2010
Ophichthus hyposagmatus Faintsaddled snake eel Western Central Atlantic. 1984
Ophichthus ishiyamorum Off the Gulf of Aden, Som 43.7 TL 2010
Ophichthus kailashchandrai Kailash Chandra’s snake eel Eastern Indian Ocean 46.2 TL 2020
Ophichthus kunaloa Eastern Central Pacific 47.3 TL 1979
Ophichthus lentiginosus Western Central Pacific 62.8 TL 2010
Ophichthus leonensis Eastern Atlantic 23.2 TL 1975
Ophichthus limkouensis Western Central Pacific. 1929
Ophichthus lithinus Evermann's snake eel Indo-West Pacific 148 TL 1908
Ophichthus longipenis Slender snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 58.7 TL 1998
Ophichthus machidai Northwest Pacific 67.2 TL 2012
Ophichthus macrochir Bigfin snake eel Indo-Pacific. 92 TL 1853
Ophichthus macrops Western Central Pacific. 1910
Ophichthus maculatus Mediterranean Sea 1810
Ophichthus manilensis Western Central Pacific 1923
Ophichthus marginatus Shorthead snake-eel Western Indian Ocean 47 TL 1855
Ophichthus mecopterus Longarmed snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 27.4 TL 1998
Ophichthus megalops Northwest Pacific 33.2 TL 1987
Ophichthus melanoporus Blackpored eel Western Atlantic 70 TL 1963
Ophichthus melope Eastern Central Pacific 27 TL 1998
Ophichthus menezesi Southwest Atlantic. 1984
Ophichthus microcephalus Western Indian Ocean 63 TL 1878
Ophichthus microstictus Western Central Pacific 48.9 TL 2010
Ophichthus mystacinus Western Pacific 42.9 TL 1999
Ophichthus obtusus Northwest Pacific 69.7 TL 2012
Ophichthus olivaceus Olivaceous snake eel Western Indian Ocean, Red 75.6 TL 2020
Ophichthus omorgmus Dottedline snake eel Western Central Atlantic. 1984
Ophichthus ophis Spotted snake eel Western Atlantic 210 TL 1758
Ophichthus polyophthalmus Many-eyed snake-eel Indo-Pacific 62.5 TL 1864
Ophichthus pullus Eastern Atlantic 58.5 TL 2005
Ophichthus puncticeps Palespotted eel Western Atlantic 81 TL 1859
Ophichthus remiger Punctuated snake-eel Eastern Pacific 85 TL 1837
Ophichthus retrodorsalis Northwest Pacific 2010
Ophichthus rex King snake eel Western Atlantic 211 TL 1980
Ophichthus roseus Western Pacific. 1917
Ophichthus rotundus Northwest Pacific 79.3 TL 1997
Ophichthus rufus Rufus snake-eel Endemic to the Mediterran 60 TL 1810
Ophichthus rugifer Eastern Pacific 68 TL 1890
Ophichthus rutidoderma Olive snake eel Indo-Pacific. 95 TL 1852
Ophichthus semilunatus Half-moon blotch snake eel Northwest Pacific 50 TL 2019
Ophichthus serpentinus Southeast Atlantic 68 TL 1917
Ophichthus shaoi Long bodied snake eel Northwestern Pacific 62.3 TL 2015
Ophichthus singapurensis Western Pacific. 1865
Ophichthus spinicauda Antillean snake eel Western Central Atlantic 107 TL 1922
Ophichthus stenopterus Western Central Pacific. 1871



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cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013