Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Echiophis: Greek, echieys, eos = a little viper + Greek, ophis = serpent (Ref. 45335); punctifer: Name from Latin 'punctifer' meaning dotted; referring to its coloration; name in apposition.
More on author: Kaup.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 40 - 100 m (Ref. 5217). Tropical
Western Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico (Florida to Texas in USA) to Cuba; northern South America (Ref. 5217). Eastern Atlantic: Senegal to Angola (Ref. 4455).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 180 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); common length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)
Burrows in sand or mud in shallow water of the continental shelf near bays and lagoons (Ref. 4455).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez, 1992. Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD. (Ref. 5217)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 19.5 - 27.2, mean 24.7 °C (based on 105 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00091 (0.00039 - 0.00215), b=2.99 (2.79 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 21 [11, 34] mg/100g; Iron = 0.408 [0.244, 0.887] mg/100g; Protein = 18.8 [16.6, 21.4] %; Omega3 = 0.0979 [, ] g/100g; Selenium = 64.2 [35.6, 124.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 33.6 [10.0, 102.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.775 [0.554, 1.093] mg/100g (wet weight);