Death-banded snake eel

The death-banded snake eel[2] (Ophichthus frontalis) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[3] It was described by Samuel Garman in 1899.[4] It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including the central Gulf of California, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama.[3][5] It dwells at a depth range of 35–760 metres, and forms burrows in sandy and muddy bottoms. Males can reach a maximum total length of 86 centimetres.[3]

Death-banded snake eel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae
Genus: Ophichthus
Species:
O. frontalis
Binomial name
Ophichthus frontalis
Garman, 1899
Synonyms[1]
  • Ophichthys frontalis Garman, 1899

The species epithet "frontalis" is presumed to be derived from the Latin term for "forehead".[3] Due to its relatively wide distribution in the eastern Pacific region, lack of known threats, and lack of observed population decline, the IUCN redlist currently lists the Death-banded snake-eel as Least Concern.[5]

References
  1. Synonyms of Ophichthus frontalis at www.fishbase.org.
  2. Common names for Ophichthus frontalis at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Ophichthus frontalis at www.fishbase.org.
  4. Garman, S., 1899 (Dec.) [ref. 1540] The Fishes. In: Reports on an exploration off the west coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and off the Galapagos Islands ... by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer "Albatross," during 1891 ... No. XXVI. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology v. 24: Text: 1-431, Atlas: Pls. 1-85 + A-M.
  5. Ophichthus frontalis at the IUCN redlist.


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