Ocellate Snake Eel, Myrichthys maculosus (Cuvier, 1816)

Scientific name: Myrichthys maculosus
Alternative name/s:
Spotted Snake Eel
Ocellate Snake Eel, <i>Myrichthys maculosus</i> Click to enlarge image
An Ocellate Snake Eel at a depth of 2m, Cabbage Tree Island, north of Port Stephens, New South Wales, April 2002. Image: Tony Woodfield
© Tony Woodfield

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Myrichthys
    Species
    maculosus
    Family
    Ophichthidae
    Order
    Anguilliformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 1 m in length.

Introduction

As its standard name implies, this largely tropical species is spotted. What it doesn't convey is that the spots change with age.

Identification

The Ocellate 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.

Ocellate Snake Eel, Myrichthys maculosus
I.46479-001 - Myrichthys maculosus 2
I.46479-001 - Myrichthys maculosus

Habitat

The Ocellate 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.

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.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

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