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Teleostei (teleosts) > Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) > Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Yirrkala: Named for its type locality Yirrkala, Caledon Bay, Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland, Australia; ori: Named for the Oceanographic Research Institute of South Africa, which collected these and many other valuable specimens.
Eponymy: This is an acronym for the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) of South Africa, honoured for its contributions to the ichthyology of South African waters. Its research vessel David Davies collected the type of the whiptail. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: McCosker.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 20 m (Ref. 86861). Subtropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Indian Ocean: South Africa.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 43.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 86861); 35.3 cm TL (female)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Vertebrae: 149 - 152. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: head 6.2-6.7% TL; tail 50% TL; dorsal-fin origin nearly above gill openings; eye behind middle of upper jaw; supraorbital pores 4; teeth conical, minute, uniserial on jaws and vomer; colour yellowish, slightly darker dorsally; total vertebrae 149-152; mean vertebral formula 6.5-74-150 (n=4) (Ref. 86861).

Inhabits coarse sand substrate (Ref. 86861).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McCosker, John E. | Collaborators

McCosker, J.E., 2011. Two new Indo-Pacific species of the sand-eel genus Yirrkala (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). Smithiana Bulletin 13:45-50. (Ref. 86861)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 22 November 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00091 (0.00039 - 0.00215), b=2.99 (2.79 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.7 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).

Yirrkala ori McCosker, 2011