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

Teleostei (teleosts) > Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) > Synbranchidae (Swamp-eels)
Etymology: Ophisternon: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, sternon = chest (Ref. 45335).

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

Freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 6.8 - 7.3; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 3 m (Ref. 35740). Tropical; 21°S - 23°S

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

Oceania: Western Australia. Threatened (Ref. 35740).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2906); common length : 34.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35740)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Vertebrae: 150. Body extremely elongated, eel-like and roundish. No fins except a thin rayless finfold near and around the tip of the tail. No externally visible eyes. The lateral line system is distinct and continues to near the tip of the tail. Anus in anterior half of the body. Whitish coloration in the skin.

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Adults occur in subterranean systems (uniquely adapted to life in dark caverns and fissures). Inhabit dark subterranean waters beneath coastal limestone, occasionally sighted in wells. Burrow into soft bottom sediments. Water is brackish and under tidal influence. Can adapt to living in a lightless environment (Ref. 44894). Are carnivores feeding on invertebrates, egg layer and prefer the following aquarium conditions: pH=7.8, H=15, 25°C water temperature, salinity 1-8 ppt; rocky substrate (note that this is not a species recommended for beginning aquarists, Ref. 6398, 44894). The male guards and builds nest or burrow (Ref. 205).

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

The male guards and builds nest or burrow (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Fávorito, Sandra | Collaborators

Romero, A. and P.B.S. Vanselow, 2000. Threatened fishes of the world: Ophisternon candidum (Mees, 1962) (Synbranchidae). Environ. Biol. Fishes 58(2):214. (Ref. 35740)

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

Endangered (EN) (B2ab(iii)); Date assessed: 16 January 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

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

Can't connect to MySQL database fbquizv2. Errorcode: Too many connections

Ophisternon candidum (Mees, 1962)