| Phylum Chordata
> Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes |
Worm-eels and Snake-eels
Family Ophichthidae
updated
Sep 2020
if you
learn only 3 things about them ...
 Often mistaken for snakes or worms, they are fish! They breathe
through gills.
They have smooth skin instead of scales.
Most are burrowing and only active at night. |
|
Where
seen? These worm-like fishes are often seen near coral rubble where there
are lots of hiding places, especially on our Southern shores. Larger
snake eels sometimes also seen, especially at night.
What are worm eels? Worm-eels
and snake-eels belong to the Family Ophichthidae, which belongs to the Order Anguilliformes (True eels). According to FishBase:
the family has 52 genera and 250 species. They are found in tropical
to warm temperate seas.
Features: 20cm-2.5m long, these
fishes have a tubular body. They lack scales. Some species have pectoral
fins, others don't. The head and tail are pointed and they are adapted
for burrowing. They swim by moving the body in S-shapes, rather like
a sea snake. In fact, some day-hunting snake eels mimic sea snakes.
Sometimes mistaken for worms or sea snakes.
Here's more on how to tell
apart sea snakes, eels and eel-like animals.
What do they eat? Most species
are burrowing. They hunt fishes, octopus,
squids and cuttlefishes and crustaceans. |
| Some Worm-eels and Snake-eels on Singapore shores |
Family
Ophichthidae recorded for Singapore
from
Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity
in Singapore.
**from WORMS
| |
Family
Ophichthidae awaiting identification |
| |
Caecula
lumbricoides
Muraenichthys
sp. (Worm-eel)
Muraenichthys macropterus=**Scolecenchelys macroptera
Ophichthus apicalis (Blunt-nose snake eel)
Ophichthus cephalozona
Ophichthus celebicus
Ophichthus evermanni=**Ophichthus lithinus
(Evermann's snake eel)
Ophichthus singapurensis
Pisodonophis boro (Rice-paddy eel)
Pisodonophis cancrivorus (Burrowing snake-eel)
Pisodonophis micropterus |
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| Links
References
- Wee Y.C.
and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore.
National Council on the Environment. 163pp.
- Allen, Gerry,
2000. Marine
Fishes of South-East Asia: A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers.
Periplus Editions. 292 pp.
- Kuiter, Rudie
H. 2002. Guide
to Sea Fishes of Australia: A Comprehensive Reference for Divers
& Fishermen
New Holland Publishers. 434pp.
- Lieske,
Ewald and Robert Myers. 2001. Coral
Reef Fishes of the World
Periplus Editions. 400pp.
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