Echiophis punctifer, the stippled spoon-nose eel, spoon-nose eel or snapper eel,[3] is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[4] It was described by Johann Jakob Kaup in 1859. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, northern South America, Senegal, and Angola. It dwells at a depth range of 40 to 100 metres (130 to 330 ft), and inhabits shallow bays and lagoons, in which it forms burrows in mud and sand. Males can reach a maximum total length of 180 centimetres (71 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 100 centimetres (39 in).[4]
| Echiophis punctifer | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Echiophis |
| Species: | E. punctifer
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| Binomial name | |
| Echiophis punctifer (Kaup, 1859)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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The species epithet "punctifer", treated as a name in apposition, means "dotted" in Latin, and refers to the eel's colouration.[4]
The eel is pinkish in color and has small dots, similar to leopard print.
References edit
- ^ McCosker, J. (2015). Echiophis punctifer. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T199272A2577050.en
- ^ Synonyms of Echiophis punctifer. Fishbase
- ^ Common names of Echiophis punctifer. Fishbase
- ^ a b c Echiophis punctifer. Fishbase
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