Fish Identification: Find Species

Class: Teleostei
Order: Anguilliformes
Family: Ophichthidae Snake eels
Subfamily: Ophichthinae
Genus: Ophichthus

(See list of species below)


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94 species (see list below)
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Photo by Graham, K.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 76 cm TL
Ophichthus alleni McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by Graham, K.
 
Ophichthus alleni
[]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

West Pacific.
Max. Length 120 cm TL
Ophichthus altipennis (Kaup, 1856)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Ophichthus altipennis
[Highfin snake eel]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 14.2 cm TL
Ophichthus aniptocheilos McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus aniptocheilos
[]

Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 23.1 cm TL
Ophichthus apachus McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
 
Ophichthus apachus
[Thin snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 62.8 cm TL
 
Ophichthus aphotistos
[Dark deepwater snake-eel]

Photo by Winterbottom, R.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Ophichthus apicalis (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830)

Photo by Photo by Winterbottom, R.
 
Ophichthus apicalis
[Bluntnose snake-eel]

Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Southeast Pacific
Max. Length 30.6 cm TL
Ophichthus arneutes McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
 
Ophichthus arneutes
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 70 cm TL
 
Ophichthus asakusae
[]

Photo by McCosker & Ho, 2015

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 92.7 cm TL
Ophichthus bicolor McCosker & Ho, 2015

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Ho, 2015
 
Ophichthus bicolor
[Bicolored snake eel]

Photo by Adams, M.J.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 75 cm TL
Ophichthus bonaparti (Kaup, 1856)

Photo by Photo by Adams, M.J.
 
Ophichthus bonaparti
[Napoleon snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 46.1 cm TL
 
Ophichthus brachynotopterus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 41 cm TL
 
Ophichthus brasiliensis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 54 cm TL
 
Ophichthus brevicaudatus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 39.8 cm TL
 
Ophichthus brevidorsalis
[Short dorsal-fin snake eel]

Photo by McCosker & Ross, 2007

Western Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 29.2 cm TL
Ophichthus brevirostris McCosker & Ross, 2007

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Ross, 2007
 
Ophichthus brevirostris
[Snubnose snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 48.6 cm TL
 
Ophichthus celebicus
[]

Photo by Yin, Robert

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 115 cm TL
Ophichthus cephalozona Bleeker, 1864

Photo by Photo by Yin, Robert
 
Ophichthus cephalozona
[Dark-shouldered snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 88.5 cm TL
 
Ophichthus chilkensis
[Chilka lake's snake eel]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 52.2 cm TL
Ophichthus congroides McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus congroides
[]

Photo by Love, J.W.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 46.7 cm TL
Ophichthus cruentifer (Goode & Bean, 1896)

Photo by Photo by Love, J.W.
 
Ophichthus cruentifer
[Margined snake eel]

Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 93.3 cm TL
Ophichthus cylindroideus (Ranzani, 1839)

Photo by Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.
 
Ophichthus cylindroideus
[Dusky snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 51 cm TL
 
Ophichthus echeloides
[]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 72 cm TL
Ophichthus erabo (Jordan & Snyder, 1901)

Photo by Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Ophichthus erabo
[Blotched snake-eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 66.9 cm TL
 
Ophichthus exourus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 92 cm TL
 
Ophichthus fowleri
[Fowler's snake eel]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 86 cm TL
Ophichthus frontalis Garman, 1899

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Ophichthus frontalis
[Deathbanded snakeeel]
No picture found

Max. Length 33.7 cm TL
 
Ophichthus genie
[]

Photo by Sazima, I.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 91.4 cm TL
Ophichthus gomesii (Castelnau, 1855)

Photo by Photo by Sazima, I.
 
Ophichthus gomesii
[Shrimp eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 47 cm TL
 
Ophichthus grandoculis
[]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 53.4 cm TL
Ophichthus hirritus McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus hirritus
[]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 66.9 cm TL
Ophichthus humanni McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus humanni
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 23.4 cm TL
 
Ophichthus hyposagmatus
[Faintsaddled snake eel]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Off the Gulf of Aden, Som
Max. Length 43.7 cm TL
Ophichthus ishiyamorum McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus ishiyamorum
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 36.5 cm TL
 
Ophichthus johnmccoskeri
[McCosker's snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 46.2 cm TL
 
Ophichthus kailashchandrai
[Kailash Chandra's snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 47.3 cm TL
 
Ophichthus kunaloa
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 65.1 cm TL
 
Ophichthus kusanagi
[Kusanagi snake eel]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 62.8 cm TL
Ophichthus lentiginosus McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus lentiginosus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 23.2 cm TL
 
Ophichthus leonensis
[]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus limkouensis
[]

Photo by Winterbottom, R.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 148 cm TL
Ophichthus lithinus (Jordan & Richardson, 1908)

Photo by Photo by Winterbottom, R.
 
Ophichthus lithinus
[Evermann's snake eel]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 58.7 cm TL
Ophichthus longipenis McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Ophichthus longipenis
[Slender snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 84.2 cm TL
 
Ophichthus lupus
[Lupine snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 67.2 cm TL
 
Ophichthus machidai
[]

Photo by The Fish Database of Taiwan

Indo-Pacific.
Max. Length 92 cm TL
Ophichthus macrochir (Bleeker, 1853)

Photo by Photo by The Fish Database of Taiwan
 
Ophichthus macrochir
[Bigfin snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 43 cm TL
 
Ophichthus macrops
[]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus maculatus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 67.2 cm TL
 
Ophichthus manilensis
[]

Photo by SFSA

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 47 cm TL
Ophichthus marginatus (Peters, 1855)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Ophichthus marginatus
[Shorthead snake-eel]

Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 27.4 cm TL
Ophichthus mecopterus McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
 
Ophichthus mecopterus
[Longarmed snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 33.2 cm TL
 
Ophichthus megalops
[]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 70 cm TL
Ophichthus melanoporus Kanazawa, 1963

Photo by Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Ophichthus melanoporus
[Blackpored eel]

Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 27 cm TL
Ophichthus melope McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
 
Ophichthus melope
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 16.7 cm TL
 
Ophichthus menezesi
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 63 cm TL
 
Ophichthus microcephalus
[]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 48.9 cm TL
Ophichthus microstictus McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus microstictus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 42.9 cm TL
 
Ophichthus mystacinus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 37.8 cm TL
 
Ophichthus naevius
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 42.3 cm TL
 
Ophichthus nigroventralis
[Belly spotted snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 69.7 cm TL
 
Ophichthus obtusus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 29.1 cm TL
 
Ophichthus oligosteus
[Few-vertebrae snake eel]

Photo by Bogorodsky, S.V.

Western Indian Ocean, Red
Max. Length 75.6 cm TL
Ophichthus olivaceus McCosker & Bogorodsky, 2020

Photo by Photo by Bogorodsky, S.V.
 
Ophichthus olivaceus
[Olivaceous snake eel]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus omorgmus
[Dottedline snake eel]

Photo by Sampaio, C.L.S.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 210 cm TL
Ophichthus ophis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Photo by Photo by Sampaio, C.L.S.
 
Ophichthus ophis
[Spotted snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 33.6 cm TL
 
Ophichthus pallens
[Narrow-fin snake eel]

Photo by Greenfield, J.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 62.5 cm TL
Ophichthus polyophthalmus Bleeker, 1864

Photo by Photo by Greenfield, J.
 
Ophichthus polyophthalmus
[Many-eyed snake-eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 58.5 cm TL
 
Ophichthus pratasensis
[]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 58.5 cm TL
Ophichthus pullus McCosker, 2005

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus pullus
[]

Photo by Flescher, D.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 81 cm TL
Ophichthus puncticeps (Kaup, 1859)

Photo by Photo by Flescher, D.
 
Ophichthus puncticeps
[Palespotted eel]

Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 85 cm TL
Ophichthus remiger (Valenciennes, 1837)

Photo by Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.
 
Ophichthus remiger
[Punctuated snake-eel]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus retrodorsalis
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 211 cm TL
 
Ophichthus rex
[King snake eel]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus roseus
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 79.3 cm TL
 
Ophichthus rotundus
[]

Photo by García Rodríguez, M.

Endemic to the Mediterran
Max. Length 60 cm TL
Ophichthus rufus (Rafinesque, 1810)

Photo by Photo by García Rodríguez, M.
 
Ophichthus rufus
[Rufus snake-eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 68 cm TL
 
Ophichthus rugifer
[]

Photo by FAO

Indo-Pacific.
Max. Length 95 cm TL
Ophichthus rutidoderma (Bleeker, 1852)

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Ophichthus rutidoderma
[Olive snake eel]

Photo by Kim, J.-K.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 60.1 cm TL
Ophichthus sangjuensis (Ji & Kim, 2011)

Photo by Photo by Kim, J.-K.
 
Ophichthus sangjuensis
[Korean Snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 50 cm TL
 
Ophichthus semilunatus
[Half-moon blotch snake eel]

Photo by SFSA

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 68 cm TL
Ophichthus serpentinus Seale, 1917

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Ophichthus serpentinus
[]

Photo by McCosker & Ho, 2015

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 62.3 cm TL
Ophichthus shaoi McCosker & Ho, 2015

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Ho, 2015
 
Ophichthus shaoi
[Long bodied snake eel]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus singapurensis
[]

Photo by FAO

Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 107 cm TL
Ophichthus spinicauda (Norman, 1922)

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Ophichthus spinicauda
[Antillean snake eel]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus tchangi
[]

Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 55.6 cm TL
Ophichthus tetratrema McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Photo by Photo by McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
 
Ophichthus tetratrema
[]

Photo by McCosker, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 44.7 cm TL
Ophichthus tomioi McCosker, 2010

Photo by Photo by McCosker, J.E.
 
Ophichthus tomioi
[]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 121.5 cm TL
Ophichthus triserialis (Kaup, 1856)

Photo by Photo by FAO
 
Ophichthus triserialis
[Pacific snake eel]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 50 cm TL
Ophichthus tsuchidae Jordan & Snyder, 1901

Photo by Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Ophichthus tsuchidae
[]

Photo by SFSA

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 30 cm TL
Ophichthus unicolor Regan, 1908

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Ophichthus unicolor
[Plain snake-eel]

Photo by Winterbottom, R.

Indo-Pacific.
Max. Length 61.5 cm TL
Ophichthus urolophus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)

Photo by Photo by Winterbottom, R.
 
Ophichthus urolophus
[Manetail snake eel]
No picture found
 
Ophichthus woosuitingi
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 35.6 cm TL
 
Ophichthus yamakawai
[Ruler-pattern snake eel]
No picture found

Max. Length 11.5 cm TL
 
Ophichthus zophistius
[]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 98 cm TL
Ophichthus zophochir Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Photo by Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Ophichthus zophochir
[Yellow snake eel]


Sort by: Species Length Year
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n = 94

Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Ophichthus alleni Western Pacific 76 TL 2010
Ophichthus altipennis Highfin snake eel West Pacific. 120 TL 1856
Ophichthus aniptocheilos Eastern Central Pacific 14.2 TL 2010
Ophichthus apachus Thin snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 23.1 TL 1998
Ophichthus aphotistos Dark deepwater snake-eel Northwest Pacific 62.8 TL 2000
Ophichthus apicalis Bluntnose snake-eel Indo-Pacific 100 TL 1830
Ophichthus arneutes Southeast Pacific 30.6 TL 1998
Ophichthus asakusae Northwest Pacific 70 TL 1901
Ophichthus bicolor Bicolored snake eel Northwest Pacific 92.7 TL 2015
Ophichthus bonaparti Napoleon snake eel Indo-Pacific 75 TL 1856
Ophichthus brachynotopterus Western Indian Ocean 46.1 TL 1983
Ophichthus brasiliensis Southwest Atlantic 41 TL 1856
Ophichthus brevicaudatus Northwest Pacific 54 TL 1981
Ophichthus brevidorsalis Short dorsal-fin snake eel Western Pacific 39.8 TL 2019
Ophichthus brevirostris Snubnose snake eel Western Atlantic Ocean 29.2 TL 2007
Ophichthus celebicus Western Pacific 48.6 TL 1856
Ophichthus cephalozona Dark-shouldered snake eel Indo-Pacific 115 TL 1864
Ophichthus chilkensis Chilka lake's snake eel Indian Ocean 88.5 TL 1916
Ophichthus congroides Eastern Central Pacific 52.2 TL 2010
Ophichthus cruentifer Margined snake eel Western Atlantic 46.7 TL 1896
Ophichthus cylindroideus Dusky snake eel Western Atlantic 93.3 TL 1839
Ophichthus echeloides Western Indian Ocean 51 TL 1928
Ophichthus erabo Blotched snake-eel Indo-Pacific 72 TL 1901
Ophichthus exourus Western Pacific 66.9 TL 1999
Ophichthus fowleri Fowler's snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 92 TL 1903
Ophichthus frontalis Deathbanded snakeeel Eastern Central Pacific 86 TL 1899
Ophichthus genie Indo-Pacific 33.7 TL 1999
Ophichthus gomesii Shrimp eel Western Atlantic 91.4 TL 1855
Ophichthus grandoculis Eastern Indian Ocean 47 TL 1849
Ophichthus hirritus Western Indian Ocean 53.4 TL 2010
Ophichthus humanni Western Pacific 66.9 TL 2010
Ophichthus hyposagmatus Faintsaddled snake eel Western Central Atlantic. 23.4 TL 1984
Ophichthus ishiyamorum Off the Gulf of Aden, Som 43.7 TL 2010
Ophichthus johnmccoskeri McCosker's snake eel Eastern Indian Ocean 36.5 TL 2018
Ophichthus kailashchandrai Kailash Chandra's snake eel Eastern Indian Ocean 46.2 TL 2020
Ophichthus kunaloa Eastern Central Pacific 47.3 TL 1979
Ophichthus kusanagi Kusanagi snake eel Northwest Pacific 65.1 TL 2019
Ophichthus lentiginosus Western Central Pacific 62.8 TL 2010
Ophichthus leonensis Eastern Atlantic 23.2 TL 1975
Ophichthus limkouensis Western Pacific 1929
Ophichthus lithinus Evermann's snake eel Indo-West Pacific 148 TL 1908
Ophichthus longipenis Slender snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 58.7 TL 1998
Ophichthus lupus Lupine snake eel Northwest Pacific 84.2 TL 2019
Ophichthus machidai Northwest Pacific 67.2 TL 2012
Ophichthus macrochir Bigfin snake eel Indo-Pacific. 92 TL 1853
Ophichthus macrops Western Central Pacific 43 TL 1910
Ophichthus maculatus Mediterranean Sea 1810
Ophichthus manilensis Western Central Pacific 67.2 TL 1923
Ophichthus marginatus Shorthead snake-eel Western Indian Ocean 47 TL 1855
Ophichthus mecopterus Longarmed snake eel Eastern Central Pacific 27.4 TL 1998
Ophichthus megalops Northwest Pacific 33.2 TL 1987
Ophichthus melanoporus Blackpored eel Western Atlantic 70 TL 1963
Ophichthus melope Eastern Central Pacific 27 TL 1998
Ophichthus menezesi Southwest Atlantic. 16.7 TL 1984
Ophichthus microcephalus Western Indian Ocean 63 TL 1878
Ophichthus microstictus Western Central Pacific 48.9 TL 2010
Ophichthus mystacinus Western Pacific 42.9 TL 1999
Ophichthus naevius Indian Ocean 37.8 TL 2023
Ophichthus nigroventralis Belly spotted snake eel Western Indian Ocean 42.3 TL 2023
Ophichthus obtusus Northwest Pacific 69.7 TL 2012
Ophichthus oligosteus Few-vertebrae snake eel Northwest Pacific 29.1 TL 2019
Ophichthus olivaceus Olivaceous snake eel Western Indian Ocean, Red 75.6 TL 2020
Ophichthus omorgmus Dottedline snake eel Western Central Atlantic. 1984
Ophichthus ophis Spotted snake eel Western Atlantic 210 TL 1758
Ophichthus pallens Narrow-fin snake eel Northwest Pacific 33.6 TL 1848
Ophichthus polyophthalmus Many-eyed snake-eel Indo-Pacific 62.5 TL 1864
Ophichthus pratasensis West Pacific 58.5 TL 2022
Ophichthus pullus Eastern Atlantic 58.5 TL 2005
Ophichthus puncticeps Palespotted eel Western Atlantic 81 TL 1859
Ophichthus remiger Punctuated snake-eel Eastern Pacific 85 TL 1837
Ophichthus retrodorsalis Northwest Pacific 2010
Ophichthus rex King snake eel Western Atlantic 211 TL 1980
Ophichthus roseus Western Pacific. 1917
Ophichthus rotundus Northwest Pacific 79.3 TL 1997
Ophichthus rufus Rufus snake-eel Endemic to the Mediterran 60 TL 1810
Ophichthus rugifer Eastern Pacific 68 TL 1890
Ophichthus rutidoderma Olive snake eel Indo-Pacific. 95 TL 1852
Ophichthus sangjuensis Korean Snake eel Northwest Pacific 60.1 TL 2011
Ophichthus semilunatus Half-moon blotch snake eel Northwest Pacific 50 TL 2019
Ophichthus serpentinus Southeast Atlantic 68 TL 1917
Ophichthus shaoi Long bodied snake eel Northwest Pacific 62.3 TL 2015
Ophichthus singapurensis Western Pacific. 1865
Ophichthus spinicauda Antillean snake eel Western Central Atlantic 107 TL 1922
Ophichthus tchangi Northwest Pacific 2002
Ophichthus tetratrema Eastern Pacific 55.6 TL 1998
Ophichthus tomioi Indo-Pacific 44.7 TL 2010
Ophichthus triserialis Pacific snake eel Eastern Pacific 121.5 TL 1856
Ophichthus tsuchidae Northwest Pacific 50 TL 1901
Ophichthus unicolor Plain snake-eel Southeast Atlantic 30 TL 1908
Ophichthus urolophus Manetail snake eel Indo-Pacific. 61.5 TL 1846
Ophichthus woosuitingi Western Pacific. 1929
Ophichthus yamakawai Ruler-pattern snake eel Northwest Pacific 35.6 TL 2019
Ophichthus zophistius Northwest Pacific 11.5 TL 1901
Ophichthus zophochir Yellow snake eel Eastern Pacific 98 TL 1882



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