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Species: Callechelys springeri, Ridgefin eel, Ridgefin snake eel

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

large dark spots, saddles on back
belly spotted
D (high) & A spotted
tail < 40% TL, tip hard & finless
no pectorals
gill openings underneath

Callechelys springeri (Ginsburg, 1951)

Ridgefin eel

Head and body elongate, compressed, 65-66% of TL; head short, snout strongly pointed, a median groove on its underside extends to front nostrils, slightly overhanging mouth; anterior nostril tubular, rear nostril in top lip under eye, opens outside when mouth is closed, covered by a flap; teeth small, pointed, in 1 row on jaws (4-5 above, 9-10 below), 2 between top jaws, 5-7 on roof of mouth; gill openings low on side, converging forwards; gill chamber an expanded pouch; dorsal and anal fins present; dorsal fin high, begins on head at or just behind eye, and ends a little before tail tip; tip of tail a hard finless point; pectorals absent; lateral line complete, lines of each side of head connected by 2 canals with across top of head.

Body and  head pale; head, body and fins with many rounded dark brown spots of varying sizes, those on snout and nape small, about eye-size,  those on body extending around belly; large spots on upper back form saddles across the back.

Reaches 79.7 cm.

Sandy bottoms.

Depth range: 22-36 m.

N Carolina to central Florida.


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Salinity
  • Marine Only
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom only
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Bony fishes
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • All species.
Regional Endemism
  • Continent only
  • Extends North of GC
  • All species..
  • GC non-endemic
  • Continent
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Data deficient
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 79.7
Depth Range Min
  • 22
Depth Range Max
  • 36