Armless snake eel

The armless snake eel[2] (Dalophis imberbis) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[3] It was described by François Étienne Delaroche in 1809.[4] It is a subtropical, marine eel which is known from the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including Spain, Mauritania, and the Mediterranean. It dwells at a depth range of 20–80 metres, and forms burrows in mud or sand. Males can reach a maximum total length of 150 centimetres.[3]

Armless snake eel
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Anguilliformes
Family:
Ophichthidae
Genus:
Dalophis
Species:
D. imberbis
Binomial name
Dalophis imberbis
(Delaroche, 1809)
Synonyms[1]
  • Sphagebranchus imberbis Delaroche, 1809
  • Caecula imberbis (Delaroche, 1809)
  • Ophichthys imberbis (Delaroche, 1809)
  • Dalophis serpa Rafinesque, 1810
  • Dalophis bimaculata Rafinesque, 1810
  • Pterurus flexuosus Rafinesque, 1810
  • Sphagebranchus oculatus Risso, 1827

The Armless snake eel's diet consists primarily of finfish and benthic invertebrates.[5]

References
  1. Synonyms of Dalophis imberbis at www.fishbase.org.
  2. Common names for Dalophis imberbis at www.fishbase.org.
  3. Dalophis imberbis at www.fishbase.org.
  4. Delaroche, F. E., 1809 [ref. 17380] Suite du mémoire sur les espèces de poissons observées à Iviça. Observations sur quelques-uns des poissons indiqués dans le précédent tableau et descriptions des espèces nouvelles ou peu connues. Annales du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris v. 13: 313-361, Pls. 20-25.
  5. Food items reported for Dalophus imberbis at www.fishbase.org.


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