Snake Eel

A snake eel is a type of saltwater fish belonging to the Ophichthidae family (order Anguilliformes). Representatives of the more than 200 species can be found in tropical and temperate waters all around the world. These snake-like critters are less aggressive than their moray relatives. In comparison to the moray's flattened tail, the snake eel's tail is pointed and sharp. The snake eel creates a safe tunnel by burrowing backwards into the seabed with its tail. The spotted snake eel (Ophichthus ophis) of the southern Atlantic and Caribbean reaches 120 cm in length (4 feet). The tails of most snake eel species end in a sharp, bony tip that they use to burrow rapidly into the sandy seabed. When a predatory fish consumes a live snake eel, the tip of the eel's tail can puncture a hole in the predator's stomach wall, through which the eel wriggles tail-first.

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Snake Eel (Ophichthidae)

The snake eels belong to the Ophichthidae family of fish, which belongs to the Anguilliformes order, hence it is also called snake eel fish. The name "Ophichthidae" is derived from the Greek words ophis ("serpent") and ichthys ("fish"). Snake eels, also known as burrowing eels, get their name from their long, cylindrical bodies that mimic snakes. This family can be found in tropical to warm temperate waters all around the world. They can be found in a variety of settings, ranging from coastal shallows and even rivers to depths of less than 800 m (2,600 ft). The smallest species measures less than 2 feet (0.5 metres) long, while the largest measures more than 8 feet (2.5 metres). The majority of species live on the ocean floor, hiding in mud or sand to catch crustaceans and tiny fish.

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The total length of these species varies from 5 cm (2.0 in) to 2.3 m (7.5 ft) or more. Many species lack fins entirely, allowing them to burrow like worms into the substrate. To dissuade predators, they are frequently speckled or striped in colour to mimic dangerous sea snakes. Large storms frequently sweep them ashore.

Classification

Mummified bodies of individual dead snake eels were discovered inside the body cavities of carnivorous fishes as early as 1934, according to scientific studies. Scientists conducted the first analysis of how widespread this unusual result is in Australian waters for the new study. Research examining parasites in a type of coastal fish called the black jewfish (Protonibea diacanthus) had discovered snake eels inside the fish's bodies, therefore the authors of the present study began there. They examined 335 P. diacanthus specimens from northern Australia and discovered four kinds of preserved snake eels inside 19 P. diacanthus fish's body cavities. The preserved bodies of certain snake eels severely deteriorated and were difficult to classify.

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In addition to P. diacanthus, the scientists confirmed the presence of at least three other snake eels in ten different predatory fish species from Australian waters. According to the study, snake eel biodiversity in northern Australia is "inadequately documented," and projects like these could lead to the discovery of new snake eel species. Some of the predatory fish had digested snake eels in their guts that had not managed to escape, suggesting that the eels were a regular part of the fishes' diet. 

Habitat

Snake eels can be found all around the world in tropical, warm seas. They can be found in a wide range of habitats, ranging from shallow ocean waters to depths of 2,500 feet or more. They can even be found in rivers, which adds to their incredibleness. Snake eels are found mostly on sandy, flat reefs. A reef is a collection of sharp rocks or coral near the sea's surface. Many species seek refuge on ocean reefs to find food. The snake eel does have another advantage when it comes to finding refuge, its sharp, pointed tail. This tail is used to burrow down into the sand, where it spends the majority of its time out of sight of predators. When night falls, however, this nocturnal mammal emerges from its burrow in search of food.

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Reproduction

These fish reproduce by spinning around each other in a huge mating group to spawn, following which the eggs hatch into glass eel larvae. Adults die once they have spawned. To mate, freshwater animals will migrate to the sea. However, little is known about how they reproduce. Depending on the species, these fish have a lifespan ranging from 32 to 88 years. The short-finned species has a life expectancy of 32 years on the low end. The American species live for 43 years, while the European species live for 88 years.

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Predators and Prey

Habitat loss and climate change are putting American and European animals in jeopardy. Human overconsumption has put American and Japanese species in danger, while European species are in grave danger. Predators come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the species and its size. Larger fish, seabirds (such as herons and storks), and mammals (such as raccoons and humans) eat these fish in general. These are predominantly predatory fish that eat carnivorous foods and are occasionally cannibalistic. Smaller fish, invertebrates, crustaceans, shrimp, crabs, and sea urchins are among their favourite foods. Insect larvae, including mosquito larvae, and worms are consumed by those in freshwater habitats. Carrion is eaten by freshwater species in addition to live prey.

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Snake Eel Types

1. Pacific Snake Eel

The Pacific snake eel (Ophichthus triserialis, sometimes known as the spotted snake eel in the United States) is a worm/snake eel that lives in the Pacific Ocean. Johann Jakob Kaup first described it in 1856, under the genus Muraenopsis. It is a marine, subtropical eel found in the central, eastern, and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including the United States. California, Peru, the Gulf of California, Mexico, the Galapagos Islands, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama, among others. It can live at a depth of up to 155 metres (509 feet) and burrows in mud and sand sediments. Males can grow up to 115 centimetres (45 in) in total length, but they are more likely to grow to a TL of 80 centimetres (31 in). The species name "triserialis" relates to the eel's spotted appearance and means "three-rowed" in Latin. Bony fish, shrimp, and bivalves make up the Pacific snake diet. eel's Shrimp trawlers frequently take it as a by-catch, although it is usually discarded. The Pacific snake eel is now classified as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its widespread distribution, absence of known threats, and lack of documented population decline.

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2. Spotted Snake Eel

The spotted snake eel (Myrichthys tigrinus), sometimes known as the tiger snake eel or spotted tiger snake eel, is a worm/snake eel belonging to the Ophichthidae family. It is a marine, tropical eel found in Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, and Peru in the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean. It lives in benthic mud and sand deposits at depths ranging from 0 to 60 metres (0 to 197 feet). Males can grow to a total length of 74 centimetres (29 in), but they are more likely to grow to a TL of 60 centimetres (24 in). Fisheries have no commercial interest in the spotted snake-eel. The IUCN red list now rates the species as Least Concern due to its widespread distribution in the eastern Pacific, lack of identified threats, and lack of observed population decline.

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3. Kingsnake Eel

Myrichthys maculosus, sometimes known as the tiger snake eel, ocellate snake eel, or spotted snake eel, is an Indo-Pacific fish species belonging to the Ophichthidae family. It can be found in the aquarium trade on rare occasions. It can reach a length of one metre (40 in). The king snake eel (Ophichthus rex) belongs to the Ophichthidae (worm/snake eel) family of eels. It is a marine, tropical eel found in the northern Gulf of Mexico in the western Atlantic Ocean, from Florida to Texas in the United States. It lives in offshore waters at depths ranging from 15 to 365 metres (49 to 1,198 feet). Males can grow to a total length of 211 centimetres (83 inches) and a maximum weight of 23.6 kg (52 lb). Anglers frequently catch the King snake eel near oil platforms.

Myrichthys maculosus is a long, snake-like fish that can reach a length of 1 m (40 in), but the average size is 50 cm (20 in). With a short snout and large tubular nostrils facing downwards, the head is small. Each jaw has two rows of teeth, with two extra rows on the palate. The dorsal fin begins directly behind the head, while the anal fin begins midway down the body; both fins run to the tail's tip. The pelvic and caudal fins are absent, and the pectoral fins are small.

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4. Banded Snake Eel

Myrichthys colubrinus, sometimes known as the banded snake eel, ringed snake eel, or harlequin snake eel, is an Indo-Pacific snake eel. It makes its way into the aquarium trade now and again. It reaches a maximum length of 97 cm (38 in). The ringed snake eel is an example of Batesian mimicry, as it resembles the venomous sea snake Laticauda colubrina. Banded snake eels change their behaviour to allow them to swim freely during the day, whereas other snake eels prefer to hide during the day and roam at night. It was first observed in Hawaii in 2021.

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Snake eels belong to the Ophichthidae family (order Anguilliformes) More than 200 species can be found in tropical and temperate waters all around the world. Snake eels get their name from their long, cylindrical bodies that mimic snakes. Snake eels can be found all around the world in tropical, warm seas. They can burrow down into the sand and emerge at night to find food. Snake eels reproduce by spinning around each other in a huge mating group to spawn. The species' lifespan ranges from 32 to 88 years depending on the species.