Snaggle-toothed snake-eel
| Snaggle-toothed snake-eel | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Aplatophis |
| Species: | A. zorro
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aplatophis zorro McCosker & Robertson, 2001
| |
The snaggle-toothed snake-eel[2] (Aplatophis zorro) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae.[3] It was described by John E. McCosker and David Ross Robertson in 2001.[4] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from a single specimen collected from Panama, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. From the specimen it is known to dwell at a depth range of 5–10 metres (20–30 ft), and reach a maximum total length of 104 centimetres (41 in). Based on other eel species it is estimated to inhabit burrows on a permanent or semi-permanent basis, and feed on small fish and crustaceans.[3]
The species epithet "zorro" refers to the resemblance the facial pore pattern bears to the fictional character's trademark slash mark.[3] It being known from only one specimen, the IUCN redlist currently lists it as Data Deficient.[1]
References
- ^ a b McCosker, J.; Béarez, P.; Bernal, O.; Lea, B. (2010). "Aplatophis zorro". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010 e.T183234A8077459. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183234A8077459.en. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ^ "Common names for Aplatophis zorro". fishbase.org.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Aplatophis zorro". FishBase.
- ^ McCosker, J. E. and D. R. Robertson (2001). "Aplatophis zorro, a new species of eastern Pacific snake-eel, with comments on New World ophichthid distributions (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae)". Revista de Biología Tropical. 49 (Suppl. 1): 13–19.