Flappy snake-eel

The Flappy snake-eel[2] (Phyllophichthus xenodontus) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels), and the only species in the genus Phyllophichthus.[3] It was described by William Alonzo Gosline III in 1951.[4] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, the Marquesan Islands, the Society Islands, the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands. It dwells at a depth range of 8–30 metres, and inhabits reefs and inshore waters. It leads a benthic lifestyle, and forms burrows. Males can reach a maximum total length of 42 centimetres.[3]

Flappy snake-eel
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Anguilliformes
Family:
Ophichthidae
Genus:
Phyllophichthus
Species:
P. xenodontus
Binomial name
Phyllophichthus xenodontus
Gosline, 1951
Synonyms[1]
  • Phyllophichthus macrurus McKay, 1970

References
  1. Synonyms of Phyllophichthus xenodontus at www.fishbase.org.
  2. Common names for Phyllophichthus xenodontus at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Phyllophichthus xenodontus at www.fishbase.org.
  4. Gosline, W. A., 1951 (Oct.) [ref. 1858] The osteology and classification of the ophichthid eels of the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science v. 5 (no. 4): 298-320.


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