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Myrichthys maculosus (Cuvier, 1816) Tiger snake eel |
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photo by
Greenfield, J. |
| Family: | Ophichthidae (Snake eels), subfamily: Ophichthinae | |||
| Max. size: | 100 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 262 m | |||
| Distribution: | Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the central Pacific, not including Hawaii and the Leeward Islands. Replaced by Myrichthys magnificus in the Hawaiian Islands (Ref. 26145, 37816). | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 0-0; Vertebrae: 185-189. Pale cream in color with variable pattern of large and small black spots with narrower white interspaces (Ref. 3972, 48635). Young with black saddles (Ref. 3972). Its behavior is similar to Myrichthys colubrinus and Leiuranus semicinctus. Description: Characterized by head length 12-15 in TL; body depth 33-46 in TL; tail 1.7 in TL; pectoral fin shorter than its base; dorsal fin origin anterior to gill opening; blunt teeth in two rows in jaws (Ref. 90102). | |||
| Biology: | Found in sandy areas of reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs; living buried in the sand. May aggregate in large numbers under a light at night (Ref. 9710). Sometimes fully exposed when searching for prey (Ref. 30874). Feeds on small fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 89972). Solitary and more common at night (Ref 90102). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 November 2019 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||