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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Tropical

Bigfin snake eel

Ophichthus macrochir Bleeker, 1853
Max Length
92 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
4
Depth
0–25 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
42.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Bigfin snake eel (Ophichthus macrochir), first described by Bleeker, 1853 is a large fish in the family Ophichthidae (order Anguilliformes). Adults typically reach 92.00 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 0 to 25 metres. It occurs in Tropical waters. Diet is predominantly piscivorous, targeting other fish and larger prey. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Least Concern.

Scientific Name
Ophichthus macrochir
Authority
Bleeker, 1853
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
92 cm
Depth Range
0–25 m
Trophic Level
4
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
42.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Vertebrae: 214 - 221. This species is distinguished by the following : body strongly wrinkled; head length 5.0-6.7% TL; tail length 62.5-69.3% TL; with 2 protrusions along the upper lip; dorsal-fin origin approximately same vertical through pectoral-fin tip; supraorbital pores 1 + 4, preoperculomandibular pores 4-5 (usually 5) + 2; teeth on maxilla mostly uniserial, on the mandible biserial; teeth on vomer bi- or triserial; total vertebrae 214-221; mean vertebral formula, 11-70-217. Colouration: body uniformly black to dark brown; dorsal and anal fins are dark gray to black .Cross section: circular.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Bigfin snake eel is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

small fish
crustaceans
cephalopods

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 0 - 25 m . Tropical West Pacific; restricted.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌿 Brackish ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
4±0.7

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00093 × L2.99 (TL)
Max TL
92cm
Vertebrae
218

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2019

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
42.00/100
Moderate vulnerability
Trophic Level
4
Apex / Top predator
Climate Zone
Tropical
Described By
Bleeker, 1853

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Bigfin Snake Eel
🌍CES hadař sumatránský
🇯🇵Japanese Kuronagaumihebi · クロナガウミヘビ
🇨🇳Chinese 大鰭蛇鰻 · 硬骨仔 · 硬骨篡 · 篡仔 · 長身蛇鰻 · 鰻仔

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 1 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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