Scientific Name
Ophichthus urolophus
Common Name
Manetail snake eel
Biology
Vertebrae: 134 - 139. This moderately elongate species of Ophichthus, subgenus Coecilophis is distinguished by the following characters: tail 53-58%, head 11-13% of total length and depth at gill opening 4.0-4.8% of TL; origin of dorsal-fin slightly behind pectoral-tips; pectoral fins spatulate, non-elongate and slightly less than length; large eyes, posterior margin of orbit ahead of rictus; posterior nostril a hole in upper lip and covered by a flap; small, inconspicuous head pores, SO 1+3, IO 4+2, POM 2-3+6-7 (usually 3+7); small, conical teeth, uniserial on mandible and vomer, few anterior teeth on maxillary; color tan on flanks and dorsum, pale ventrally, all fins and anterior nostrils pale, chin and snout dusky; mean vertebral formula 16.2/54.0/136.5, total vertebrae 134-139 (Ref. 84366).