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: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).

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

Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 64 m (Ref. 58018). Tropical; 26°N - 29°N, 98°W - 81°W

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

Western Atlantic: northern Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas in USA.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 211 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); max. published weight: 23.6 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Very large, TL 2.4 m; dorsal fin origin well behind tip of pectoral fin; 14-15 dark olive-brown, saddle-shaped markings along back. Dorsal and anal fins striped at bases, pectoral fin darker on dorsal half (Ref. 26938).

Inhabits offshore water from 15-365 m depth. Commonly caught by anglers near oil rigs.

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

Oviparous (Ref. 101776).

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

Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 11 August 2011

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; gamefish: yes

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology

Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance

Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics

Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos

Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith

Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)

Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability

Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.

Outreach
Collaborators

Taxonomy
Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
Morphometrics
Pictures

References
References

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [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): 4.3 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).

Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 53 [31, 96] mg/100g; Iron = 0.758 [0.438, 1.299] mg/100g; Protein = 18.2 [16.0, 20.7] %; Omega3 = 0.151 [0.063, 0.398] g/100g; Selenium = 94.2 [49.6, 201.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 8.95 [2.71, 27.86] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.731 [0.535, 1.038] mg/100g (wet weight);

Ophichthus rex Böhlke & Caruso, 1980