Olive snake eel

Olive snake eel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Division: Teleostei
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Genus: Ophichthus
Species:
O. rutidoderma
Binomial name
Ophichthus rutidoderma
(Bleeker, 1853)
Synonyms
  • Ophisurus rutidoderma Bleeker, 1853
  • Ophisurus lumbricoides Bleeker, 1853
  • Ophisurus rutidodermatoides Bleeker, 1853
  • Ophichthus rutidodermatoides (Bleeker, 1853)
  • Ophichthys rutidodermatoides (Bleeker, 1853)
  • Ophichthus derbyensis Whitley, 1941

The olive snake eel (Ophichthus rutidoderma, also known as the Derby snake-eel) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1853, originally under the genus Ophisurus. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific. It forms burrows in soft sediments in shallow waters, and leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Males can reach a maximum total length of 95 centimetres (37 in).

The olive snake eel's diet consists of finfish.

References

  1. ↑ Synonyms of Ophichthus rutidoderma at www.fishbase.org.
  2. ↑ Common names of Ophichthus rutidoderma at www.fishbase.org.
  3. 1 2 Ophichthus rutidoderma at www.fishbase.org.
  4. ↑ Bleeker, P., 1853-54 [ref. 339] Bijdrage tot de kennis der Muraenoïden en Symbranchoïden van den Indischen Archipel. Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen. v. 25 (art. 5): 1-62+ 63-76.
  5. ↑ Food items reported for Ophichthus rutidoderma at www.fishbase.org.