Brachysomophis henshawi, Reptilian snake eel

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Brachysomophis henshawi Jordan & Snyder, 1904

Reptilian snake eel
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Brachysomophis henshawi   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Brachysomophis henshawi (Reptilian snake eel)
Brachysomophis henshawi
Picture by Hazes, B.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) > Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Brachysomophis: Greek, brachys, eia = short + Greek, soma = body + Greek, ophis = serpent (Ref. 45335);  henshawi: Named for Henry W. Henshaw..
More on authors: Jordan & Snyder.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 35 m (Ref. 42180). Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 89972)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Vertebrae: 128 - 134. With tail 45-48% and head 13-16% of TL; dorsal fin arising well behind pectoral tips; pectoral fins fan-shaped, not elongate; snout short, about 3.4 in jaw; jaws elongate, about 2.3-3 in head; nostrils in short tubes in upper lip and closely associated; cirri of labial fringe unbranched, short and stubby; flesh above and behind eye laterally elevated as a ridge; dorsal head profile depressed and constricted behind eyes, the flesh forming a lateral eave behind dorsal margin of eye; head pores and lateral-line pores apparent; free sensory neuromasts visible as rows of white spots on nape; teeth conical; coloration in life variable; fins pale except dorsal notably dark basally with a pale margin; lateral-line pores in distinct dark spots; numerous dark spots above lateral line on body (Ref. 42180).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Found over sandy areas, usually near or within coral or rocky reefs (Ref. 42180, 75154). Feeds on fishes and crtustaceans (Ref. 89972). Benthic (Ref. 58302, 75154). At night, it is usually encountered with its head and even the anterior portion of its body protruding from the substrate at night (Ref. 42180). At day time, it often remains buried with only the tip of its snout and the top of its head projecting from the sand or mud (Ref. 42180).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McCosker, John E. | Collaborators

McCosker, J.E. and J.E. Randall, 2001. Revision of the snake-eel genus Brachysomophis (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with description of two new species and comments on the species of Mystriophis. Indo-Pac. Fish. (33):1-32. (Ref. 42180)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 11 November 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

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Ecology
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Common names
Synonyms
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Predators
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Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
Age/Size
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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 24.6 - 29.3, mean 28 °C (based on 2349 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5078   [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):  4.0   ±0.6 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):  High to very high vulnerability (72 of 100).