Spotted Snake Eel, Myrichthys maculosus (Cuvier, 1817)

ANIMAL SPECIES:Spotted Snake Eel, Myrichthys maculosus (Cuvier, 1817)

The Spotted Snake Eel has dark spots on a cream-coloured background. The arrangement of spots changes as a fish grows. Juveniles under 25 cm in length have one row of spots on the upper sides. Fish between 30 cm and 50 cm in length (such as that in the images) have spots along the midline alternating with spots on the upper sides. Fishes over 50cm in length have two or three rows of spots on the upper sides of the body and several rows of smaller spots along the lower surface.

Identification

Size range

The species grows to 1m in length.

Distribution

It occurs in marine tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded from the offshore reefs of north-western Western Australia and the northern Great Barrier Reef south to the central coast of New South Wales.

Habitat

The Spotted Snake Eel occurs on sandy coastal reefs where it burrows in the substrate. It is sometimes seen swimming in the open over sand or weedy areas.

Classification

Species:: maculosus
Genus:: Myrichthys
Family:: Ophichthidae
Class:: Actinopterygii
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
Michael, S.W. 1998. Reef Fishes. Volume 1. A Guide to Their Identification, Behaviour, and Captive Care. Microcosm. Pp. 624.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Last Updated: 14 May 2009

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