Crocodile snake eel
| Crocodile snake eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Brachysomophis |
| Species: | B. crocodilinus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Brachysomophis crocodilinus (E. T. Bennett, 1833)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
The crocodile snake eel (Brachysomophis crocodilinus) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[2] In 1833, it was described by Edward Turner Bennett.[3] It is a tropical, marine eel known to be from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa, the Society Islands, Japan, and Australia. Males can reach a maximum length of 120 centimeters. It dwells at a depth range of 0–30 meters (most often around 0–2 m), and it inhabits coral reefs. It burrows in the sand and waits to ambush prey, often leaving its eyes exposed.[2] Its diet consists of octopuses, species of Calcarina, and finfish.[4]
The species epithet "crocodilinus", as well as the common name, refer to the species' crocodilian appearance. The crocodile snake eel is used in Chinese medicine.[2]
References
- ^ Synonyms of Brachysomophis crocodilinus at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b c Brachysomophis crocodilinus at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Bennett, E. T., 1833 (17 May) [ref. 16786] Characters of new species from the Mauritius. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1833 (pt 1): 32.
- ^ Food items reported for Brachysomophis crocodilinus at www.fishbase.org.
External links
- Photos of Crocodile snake eel in the Sealife Collection