Abstract
Ophichthus aphotistos, a new species of snake-eel, subfamily Ophichthinae, is described from three specimens trapped in deep water (700–800 m) off southwestern Taiwan. It is most similar toO. cruentifer but differes from it and other elongate, deep water species ofOphichthus in its vertebral number (158–162), posterior dorsal-fin origin, biserial dentition, and dark coloration. A poorly known species,Neenchelys retropinna Smith & Böhlke, is reported from the South China Sea for the first time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Bleeker, P. 1853. Bijdrage tot de kennis der Muraenoïden en Symbranchoïden van den Indischen Archipel. Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunst. Wet. 25: 1–76.
Fowler, H. W. 1918. New and little-known fishes from the Philippine Islands. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 70: 2–71.
Goode, G. B. and T. H. Bean. 1896. Oceanic ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and pelagic fishes of the world, based chiefly upon the collections made by the steamers Blake, Albatross and Fish Hawk in the Northwestern Atlantic, with an Atlas containing 417 figures. Spec. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. Vol. 1, 553 pp.
Karrer, C. 1982. Anguilliformes du Canal de Mozambique (Pisces. Teleostei). Faune Tropicale, 23: 1–116.
Lee, C.-L. and H. Asano. 1997. A new ophichthid eel,Ophichthus rotundus (Ophichthidae, Anguilliformes) from Korea. Korean J. Biol. Sci., 1: 549–552.
McCosker, J. E. 1977. The osteology, classification, and relationships of the eel family Ophichthidae. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. ser. 4 41: 1–123.
McCosker, J. E. 1999. Pices Anguilliformes: Deepwater snake eels (Ophichthidae) from the New Caledonia region, Southwest Pacific Ocean.In A. Crosnier (ed.), Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, Vol. 20. Mém. Mus. natn. d'Hist. nat., 180: 571–588.
McCosker, J. E., E. B. Böhlke and J. E. Böhlke. 1989. Family Ophichthidae. Pages 254–412in E. B. Böhlke (ed.), Fishes of the Western North Atlantic, Part Nine, Vol. 1. Orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes. Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale Univ.
Seale, A. 1917. New species of apodal fishes. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Harvard College, 61: 79–94.
Smith, D. G. and J. E. Bohlke. 1983.Neenchelys retropinna: a new worm eel (Pisces: Ophichthidae) from the Indian Ocean. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., 135: 80–84.
Wenner, C. A. 1976. Aspects of the biology and morphology of the snake eel.Pisodonophis cruentifer (Pisces. Ophichthidae). J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada, 33: 656–665.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
McCosker, J.E., Chen, YY. A new species of deepwater snake-eel,ophichthus aphotistos, with comments onneenchelys retropinna (anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from taiwan. Ichthyological Research 47, 353–357 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02674262
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02674262