Species: Ophichthus melope, Black-pored snake-eel

Ophichthus melope McCosker & Rosenblatt, 1998

Black-pored snake-eel

Moderately robust; tail 60-62% of TL; head 11-12% of TL; eye moderate, about over middle of mouth; front nostrils tubular, rear nostril a hole above top lip, covered by a flap that extends to or below edge of mouth; snout overhanging; no head barbels; mouth large; teeth conical, 1 row on roof of mouth (which ends under eye) and side of lower jaw, 2 rows on side of top jaw; gill opening vertical, semicircular; dorsal fin origin well behind pectoral tips; tip of tail a blunt, finless point; pectoral fins rounded, paddle shaped, with restricted bases - opposite and above upper half of gill opening; lateral line not abruptly arched at rear of head.

Brown above, paler below, paler below; body with irregular asymmetrical narrow pale bars; head pores in wide black rings, but lateral line pores not; front of dorsal fin with broad black margin, rest of fin with thin dark margin; anal and pectorals colorless.

Size: grows to 27 cm.

Habitat: benthic on soft bottoms.

Depth: 70-244 m.

Costa Rica to Colombia.