Highfin Snake Eel

Ophichthus altipennis is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1856, originally under the genus Microdonophis.

Description

Males can reach a maximum total length of 103 cm (41 in). Color is tan to brown. Larger specimens becoming darker above lateral midline and its median fins with black margin. Pectoral fins are dark. Those of smaller specimens may be clear. A prominent pale spot before eye and a smaller pale spot are on snout above anterior nostril. Barbels prominent is along ventral margin of upper lip. One beneath is the anterior margin of the eye, the other midway between it and the base of the anterior nostril. Dorsal fin elevated, its origin just above or slightly in advance of gill openings. Pectoral fins elongate, 2.4-2.8 HL. Vertebrae: 177 - 179.

Distribution

It is a marine, tropical eel known from the eastern Indian Ocean and northwestern and western central Pacific Ocean, including Australia, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, the Marshall Islands, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea.

Habitat

It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 40 m (0 to 131 ft), and forms burrows in soft inshore sand sediments.

Due to its wide distribution in the Pacific and lack of known threats, the IUCN redlist currently lists the highfin snake eel as Least Concern.