Apterichtus ansp (Böhlke, 1968)
Academy eel
Apterichtus ansp
photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Family:  Ophichthidae (Snake eels), subfamily: Ophichthinae
Max. size:  54 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 1 - 38 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: USA (from the Carolinas and southern Florida Keys), Bermuda, Bahamas, Lesser Antilles, and off Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Vertebrae: 123-132. This elongate species is distinguished by the following characters: tail 1.7-1.8, head 12-15, and body depth 43-53 in total length; preopercular pores 4 and pores in supratemporal canal 5; teeth conical, uniserial on jaws and vomer; vomerine teeth 3-4 ; body coloration is nearly uniform pale to tan, fresh specimens have a fine sprinkling of melanophores over the dorsal surface of the head and body, with pale areas behind eye and along lower jaw; MVF 54-128, total vertebrae 123-132 (Ref. 101270).
Biology:  Burrows in sand in surf areas.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 15 August 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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