Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Aprognathodon: Name from Greek 'a' meaning without, 'pro' for forward, 'gnathos' for jaw and 'odontos' for tooth, referring to the lack of intermaxillary dentition; platyventris: Name from Greek 'platy' for flat and 'ventris' for belly, referring to the flattened ventrum; noun in genetive case (Ref. 54133).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 17 m (Ref. 54133). Tropical; 27°N -
Western Central Atlantic: Florida Keys, USA and Bahamas to Venezuela.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 46.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)
Vertebrae: 148 - 152. Absence of raised platform between tubular anterior nostrils and median crease of the snout's underside. No teeth on anterior intermaxillary and vomerine. Anal fin present (Ref. 27478).
Found over shallow sandy bottoms with clear water (Ref. 5217).
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 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.4 - 28.2, mean 27.5 °C (based on 568 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0000 [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): Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100).