Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); chilkensis: Named for its type locality, Chilka Lake.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 25 - 30 m (Ref. 130619). Tropical
Indian Ocean: Bay of Bengal.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 88.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 130619); 63.0 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 218 - 222. This species is characterized by the following: body extremely elongated, subcircular posteriorly following the compressed tail portion, tail tip pointed and strong; depth at gill opening 74.3-92.8 in TL; pre-anal length 2.8-2.9 in TL, HL 18.3-20.4, tail 1.6; snout short, tip conical at dorsal view, ventral side not bisected by a groove; upper jaw moderate, rictus well behind posterior of eye orbit margin, eye moderate, at mid jaw, its length 11.8-16.7 in HL, 3.6-5.6 in upper jaw length; anterior nostril tubular, positioned
toward ventrolaterally; posterior nostril a minute hole; single barbel on upper lip; dorsal-fin origin well behind pectoral-fin tip; pectoral fin short, tip rounded; shorter than jaw; its length 3.6-3.9 in HL; head pores are moderately conspicuous; a single median T and IO pores present; SO pores 1 + 4, first ethmoidal and three pores on snout dorsal surface and a pore between the interorbital space; IO pores 3 + 3, first located in middle of nostrils, second below the mid-eye, third and fourth behind eye orbit and 2 at ascendingly behind the eye; mandibular pores 5 and PO pores 2; LL pores conspicuous before anus; LL pores before gill opening 7-8, before dorsal-fin origin 13-14, before anus 71-74; teeth on jaw multiseries, small, pointed, and conical; intermaxillary with four teeth arranged in row; vomerine 2-3 rows anteriorly, three uniserial teeth posteriorly, extended beyond maxillary teeth row; maxillary and mandibular biserial, teeth size decreases posteriorly; vertebrae: pre-dorsal 12-13; pre-anal 72-73 and total 218-222 (Ref. 130619).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kodeeswaran, P., A. Kathirvelpandian, A. Mohapatra, T.T.P.A. Kumar and U.K. Sarkar, 2023. A new snake eel species of the genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) from the southeast coast of India, Bay of Bengal, with the taxonomic account of Ophichthus chilkensis. J. Fish Biol. Early view: [1-9].
[First published online, pp. 1-9, 1 Dec. 2023.] (Ref. 130619)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00091 (0.00039 - 0.00215), b=2.99 (2.79 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.0 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (55 of 100).
![Image of Ophichthus chilkensis (Chilka lake\](/images/thumbnails/gif/tn_OPHICHT0.gif "Image of Ophichthus chilkensis (Chilka lake\")
