Species: Ophichthus rugifer, Wrinkled snake-eel

eye large
D - dark streaks

Ophichthus rugifer McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998
Wrinkled snake-eel
A relatively robust species; tail 56-62% of TL; head 10-11.5% of TL; body of large individuals conspicuously etched with fine longitudinal striations; eye large, about 8-12.5% of head length, about over middle of mouth; front nostril tubular under snout; rear nostril in a large flat tube, opening outside top lip; snout overhanging; a small barbel on lip just before rear nostril; mouth large; teeth conical, strong, 1 row on roof of mouth, two rows on sides of jaws; gill opening vertical, semicircular; dorsal fin origin over mid-pectoral; tip of tail a blunt, finless point; pectorals spatula-like, 25-40% of head length, with restricted bases - opposite and above upper half of gill opening; lateral line not abruptly arched at rear of head.
Preserved fish yellow, darker above; a series of brown spots from mid-flank to dorsal base, irregularly paired along midline, largest spots about eye diameter; dorsal fin margin with series of brown streaks; front half of anal fin yellowish, darker on base at rear, flanked by reddish stripes; median fins black at rear as they enter a deep groove; most of pectoral of large individuals dark; head and throat covered with smaller brown spots; front nostrils and tail tip yellow.
Size: reaches 68 cm.
Habitat: sand and rubble bottoms.
Depth: 3-200 m.
Galapagos and Cocos Islands.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Soft bottom only
- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Bentho-Pelagic
- Feeding Group
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- No Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- No Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- No data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- Island (s)
- TEP endemic
- Multiple oceanic islands endemic
- Island (s) only
- TEP oceanic island (s) endemic
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 68
- Depth Range Min
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- 3
- Depth Range Max
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- 200