| Family: |
Ophichthidae (Snake eels), subfamily: Myrophinae |
| Max. size: |
38 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 30 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: widespread, from East Africa to Samoa, north to Okinawa-jima Island, Japan, excluding the Red Sea and the coast of Australia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Vertebrae: 118-135. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: 2 infraorbital pores found at the postorbital area; median ventral groove on the snout absent; acute snout; rictus of mouth slightly posterior to a vertical line through the posterior margin of the eye; pointed conical teeth on upper jaw and vomer, arranged biserially on upper jaw, uniserially on vomer; dorsal-fin origin posterior to a vertical line through the anus, horizontal distance between the origin and the vertical line 13-55% HL; tail 54-58% TL; total vertebrae 118-135, predorsal 51-57 and preanal 47-52; mean vertebral formula (MVF) 53.9-50.0-128.6 (Ref. 92899). |
| Biology: |
Lives in loose sand and fine gravel (Ref. 1602). Benthic (Ref. 58302) and burrowing species found in inshore waters (Ref. 7300, 75154). Feeds on small fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 89972). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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