Echiophis punctifer

Echiophis punctifer, the stippled spoon-nose eel, spoon-nose eel or snapper eel,[3] is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[4] It was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1859. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, northern South America, Senegal, and Angola. It dwells at a depth range of 40 to 100 metres (130 to 330 ft), and inhabits shallow bays and lagoons, in which it forms burrows in mud and sand. Males can reach a maximum total length of 180 centimetres (71 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 100 centimetres (39 in).[4]

Echiophis punctifer
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Genus: Echiophis
Species:
E. punctifer
Binomial name
Echiophis punctifer
(Kaup, 1859)
Synonyms[2]
  • Crotalopsis punctifer Kaup, 1859
  • Mystriophis punctifer (Kaup, 1859)
  • Conger mordax Poey, 1860
  • Echiophis mordax (Poey, 1860)
  • Ophichthys schneideri Steindachner, 1879
  • Mystriophis creutzbergi Cadenat, 1956
  • Echiophis creutzbergi (Cadenat, 1956)

The species epithet "punctifer", treated as a name in apposition, means "dotted" in Latin, and refers to the eel's colouration.[4]

The eel is pinkish in color and has small dots, similar to leopard print.

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Echiophis punctifer.
  1. McCosker, J. (2015). Echiophis punctifer. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T199272A2577050.en
  2. Synonyms of Echiophis punctifer. Fishbase
  3. Common names of Echiophis punctifer. Fishbase
  4. Echiophis punctifer. Fishbase


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.