Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Myrophinae
Etymology: Ahlia: Name after Jonas Nicolas Ahl, of Upsala. His thesis "De
Muræna et Ophichtho" " modestly offered for the consideration of the
president of the medical faculty" in the University of Upsala
("Carolus Vet. Thunberg") in 1789, furnishes the beginning of the
systematic arrangement of the eels.
Eponymy: Dr Jonas Nicholaus Ahl (1765–1817) was a physician and one of Linnaeus’ students. He published his thesis: De Muraena et Ophichth (1789) which according to Jordan’s dedication “furnishes the beginning of our systematic arrangement of the eels.” (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Jordan.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 37 m (Ref. 37039). Tropical
Western Atlantic: Florida (USA), Bahamas, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Northwest Atlantic: Canada.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 33.2, range 28 - 38.7 cm
Max length : 43.0 cm TL (female)
Pale tan with scattered tiny spots. Mature individuals darker, with red-brown band at back of head. Dorsal fin origin above or behind anus (Ref. 26938).
Inhabits seagrass beds from bays and mangroves to offshore reefs. Adults move to open sea to spawn.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 22.7 - 28, mean 26.4 °C (based on 356 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00076 (0.00029 - 0.00197), b=3.06 (2.83 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.1 ±0.7 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 (33 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 56 [32, 104] mg/100g; Iron = 0.597 [0.363, 1.163] mg/100g; Protein = 18.7 [16.5, 21.3] %; Omega3 = 0.117 [0.054, 0.338] g/100g; Selenium = 38.2 [21.5, 76.5] μg/100g; VitaminA = 62 [18, 189] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.11 [0.79, 1.54] mg/100g (wet weight);
