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Ophisternon candidum (Mees, 1962)

Blind cave eel
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Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Synbranchiformes (Spiny eels) > Synbranchidae (Swamp-eels)
Etymology: Ophisternon: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, sternon = chest (Ref. 45335).

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

Freshwater; brackish; demersal; pH range: 6.8 - 7.3; potamodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 3 m (Ref. 35740). Tropical; 21°S - 23°S

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

Oceania: Western Australia. Threatened (Ref. 35740).

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2906); common length : 34.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35740)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Vertebrae: 150. Body extremely elongated, eel-like and roundish. No fins except a thin rayless finfold near and around the tip of the tail. No externally visible eyes. The lateral line system is distinct and continues to near the tip of the tail. Anus in anterior half of the body. Whitish coloration in the skin.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Adults occur in subterranean systems (uniquely adapted to life in dark caverns and fissures). Inhabit dark subterranean waters beneath coastal limestone, occasionally sighted in wells. Burrow into soft bottom sediments. Water is brackish and under tidal influence. Can adapt to living in a lightless environment (Ref. 44894). Are carnivores feeding on invertebrates, egg layer and prefer the following aquarium conditions: pH=7.8, H=15, 25°C water temperature, salinity 1-8 ppt; rocky substrate (note that this is not a species recommended for beginning aquarists, Ref. 6398, 44894). The male guards and builds nest or burrow (Ref. 205).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

The male guards and builds nest or burrow (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Fávorito, Sandra | Collaborators

Romero, A. and P.B.S. Vanselow, 2000. Threatened fishes of the world: Ophisternon candidum (Mees, 1962) (Synbranchidae). Environ. Biol. Fishes 58(2):214. (Ref. 35740)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Endangered (EN) (B2ab(iii)); Date assessed: 16 January 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
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Ecology
Ecology
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Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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References

Tools

E-book | Field guide | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree | Catch-MSY |

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5156   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00085 (0.00039 - 0.00184), b=3.09 (2.90 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.5   ±0.37 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100).