Surf eel

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 and 15 metres (16 and 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]

Surf eel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Genus: Ichthyapus
Species:
I. ophioneus
Binomial name
Ichthyapus ophioneus
(Evermann & Marsh, 1900)
Synonyms[1]
  • Sphagebranchus ophioneus Evermann & Marsh, 1900
  • Caecula ophioneus (Evermann & Marsh, 1900)
  • Rhinenchelys ophioneus (Evermann & Marsh, 1900)
  • Sphagebranchus conklini Eigenmann, 1916

References
  1. Synonyms of Ichthyapus ophioneus at www.fishbase.org.
  2. Common names of 'Ichthyapus ophioneus at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Ichthyapus ophioneus at www.fishbase.org.
  4. 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.


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