Surf eel
| Surf eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Ichthyapus |
| Species: | I. ophioneus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ichthyapus ophioneus (Evermann & Marsh, 1900) | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
The Surf eel (Ichthyapus ophioneus, also known as the Finless snake eel in the United States[2]) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[3] It was described by Barton Warren Evermann and Millard Caleb Marsh in 1900, originally under the genus Sphagebranchus.[4] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, including Bermuda, the Bahamas, Florida, USA; Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, northern South America, and St. Helena Island. It dwells at a maximum depth of 35 metres (115 ft), most often between 5 to 15 metres (16 to 49 ft), and forms burrows in sand bottoms in surf areas, from which its common name is derived. Males can reach a maximum total length of 45 centimetres (18 in).[3]
References
- ↑ Synonyms of Ichthyapus ophioneus at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Common names of 'Ichthyapus ophioneus at www.fishbase.org.
- 1 2 Ichthyapus ophioneus at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Evermann, B. W. and M. C. Marsh, 1900 (29 Dec.) [ref. 14876] The fishes of Porto Rico. Bulletin of the U. S. Fish Commission v. 20 (pt 1) [for 1900]: 49-350, Pls. 1-49.