Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); triserialis: Name from Latin 'triserialis', 3-rowed, for the patterin of spots.
More on author: Kaup.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 1 - 155 m (Ref. 31243). Subtropical
Eastern Pacific: off Klamath River in northern California, USA to Peru, including Gulf of California in Mexico and Galapagos Islands Rare in north of Baja California, Mexico. Common on shrimp grounds from Gulf of California southward.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 122 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 96339); common length : 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 55763); max. published weight: 373.25 g (Ref. 91172)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Inhabits sandy and muddy bottoms, from shallow waters up to a depth of 20 m (Ref. 9328). Burrows in bottoms. Generally captured from tide pool depths to 155 m (Ref. 31243).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann, 1983. A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p. (Ref. 2850)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 15 - 28.9, mean 22.3 °C (based on 158 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00141 (0.00072 - 0.00277), b=2.95 (2.78 - 3.12), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.60 se; based on food items.
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 (73 of 100).