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Palespot snake eel (Myrichthys aspetocheiros) — Ophichthidae

Palespot snake eel

Myrichthys aspetocheiros
Family: Ophichthidae

The Palespot snake eel (Myrichthys aspetocheiros) is a saltwater fish of the family Ophichthidae that grows up to 51 cm.

Length
51 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
44.0–64.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Palespot snake eel is a snake eel (Ophichthidae) from shallow reef and sand water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 70 cm and has a slender, eel-like body with a pattern of round yellow or dark spots on a pale ground. Unlike many snake eels it also crawls openly by day over sand and reef bottoms in search of crustaceans and small fish; when in danger it burrows backwards into the sand. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Palespot snake eel?

The Palespot snake eel has a snake-like body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Palespot snake eel live?

The Palespot snake eel lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Palespot snake eel get?

The Palespot snake eel grows to a maximum of about 51 cm.

Is the Palespot snake eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Palespot snake eel is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bleekvlek-slangaal sourced
English name
Palespot snake eel sourced
Scientific name
Myrichthys aspetocheiros
Family
Ophichthidae
Other names
Longfin spotted snake-eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
51.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
44.0 verified
Max depth (m)
64.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Myrichthys

More from the family Ophichthidae

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