Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Apterichtus: From the Greek απτερόν (apteron), without fins, and ίχθύς (ichtus, more correctly written ichthys; masculine), fish.
Eponymy: Théodore André Monod (1902–2000) was a French naturalist, humanist and philosopher who was most well-known for his treks through the Sahara Desert. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 80 - 150 m (Ref. 4455). Tropical
Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde Islands off Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Biafra.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 49.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4455)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 147 - 151. This species is distinguished by the following characters: tail 1.6-1.7, head 16-20, and body depth 63-71 in total length; preopercular pores 3; pores in supratemporal canal 7; conical teeth, uniserial on jaws and vomer (0-2 vomerine teeth); body coloration in alcohol is pale ochre ventrally, slightly darker dorsally; total vertebrae 147-151 (mean 148.6) (n= 5) (Ref. 101270)..
Burrows in sand or mud on the continental shelf (Ref. 4455).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Leiby, M., 1990. Ophichthidae. p. 176-192. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1. (Ref. 4455)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 15.2 - 16.9, mean 15.9 °C (based on 9 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 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): 4.0 ±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): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100).