Ophichthidae

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Ophichthidae
Tiger snake eel, Myrichthys maculosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Anguilliformes Family: Ophichthidae
Subfamilies
Myrophinae Ophichthinae See text for genera.

Ophichthidae is a family of eels, comprising species commonly called worm eels and snake eels. The term "Ophichthidae" comes from Greek ophis ("serpent") and ichthys ("fish").

[edit] Distribution and habitat

They range from tropical to warm temperate waters. They are coastal, but some species will also enter rivers.

[edit] Taxonomy

• Subfamily Myrophinae
  • Ahlia
  • Muraenichthys
  • Myrophis
  • Pseudomyrophis
  • Schismorhynchus
  • Schultzidia
  • Scolecenchelys
    • Short-headed worm eel, Scolecenchelys breviceps
  • Scythrenchelys
• Subfamily Ophichthinae
  • Aplatophis
  • Apterichtus
  • Bascanichthys
  • Brachysomophis
  • Callechelys
  • Caralophia
  • Cirrhimuraena
  • Cirricaecula
  • Dalophis
  • Echelus
  • Echiophis
  • Elapsopis
  • Ethadophis
  • Gordiichthys
  • Herpetoichthys
  • Ichthyapus
  • Lamnostoma
  • Leiuranus
  • Leptenchelys
  • Letharchus
  • Leuropharus
  • Myrichthys
  • Mystriophis
  • Ophichthus
  • Ophisurus
    • Serpent eel, Ophisurus serpens
  • Paraletharchus
  • Phaenomonas
  • Phyllophichthus
  • Pisodonophis
  • Quassiremus
  • Scytalichthys
  • Yirrkala

[edit] References

• "Ophichthidae". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.