Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Kuna Loa was the Long Eel in Hawaiian mythology. In the legends, the demi-god Maui cut Kuna Loa into pieces, and its tail evolved into the conger eel. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: McCosker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 220 - 475 m (Ref. 84366). Temperate
Eastern Central Pacific: Hawaiian Islands.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 47.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 84366)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 180 - 185. This moderately elongate species of Ophichthus, subgenus Coecilophis is distinguished by the following characters: tail 59-60%, head 9.6-10.1% of total length and body depth at gill opening 3.2-3.7% of TL; origin of dorsal-fin above mid pectoral fin; elongate pectoral fin, non-filamentous; posterior margin or orbit in advance of rictus; posterior nostril a hole above upper lip is covered by a flap; no lip barbels; small but conspicuous head pores, SO 1+4, IO 4+2, POM 2+5; small, conical teeth, biserial on anterior vomer and jaws; uniform gray brown in color, lighter ventrally, fins pale except anal which has a dark patch at posterior base; mean vertebral formula 15/66/182, total vertebrae 180-185 (Ref. 84366).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Benthic on fine sand or hard substrata with crevices (Ref. 58302).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Eschmeyer, W.N. (ed.), 1998. Catalog of fishes. Special Publication, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco. 3 vols. 2905 p. (Ref. 26282)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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