WoRMS taxon details
Ophichthus ophis (Linnaeus, 1758)
126315 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:126315)
accepted
Species
Anguilla serpens Shaw, 1803 · unaccepted
Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970 · unaccepted
Herpetoichthys callisoma Abbott, 1860 · unaccepted (synonym)
Herpetoichthys sulcatus Kaup, 1856 · unaccepted
Muraena hauannensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801 · unaccepted
Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758 · unaccepted
Ophichthys ophis (Linnaeus, 1758) · unaccepted
Ophisurus guttatus Cuvier, 1816 · unaccepted
Ophisurus havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) · unaccepted
Uranichthys brachycephalus Poey, 1867 · unaccepted
Uranichthys havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) · unaccepted
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
(of Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors 
[request]
[request]
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2026). FishBase. Ophichthus ophis (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126315 on 2026-09-08
Date
action
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Nomenclature
original description
(of Herpetoichthys callisoma Abbott, 1860) Abbott, C. C. (1860). Description of new species of apodal fishes in the museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 12: 475-479. [details] 
original description (of Muraena hauannensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801) Bloch, M.E.; Schneider, J.G. (1801). M.E. Blochii, Systema Ichthyologiae iconibus cx illustratum. Post obitum auctoris opus inchoatum absolvit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. <em>Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. Berolini. Sumtibus Auctoris Impressum et Bibliopolio Sanderiano Commissum.</em> Pp i-lx + 1-584, Pls. 1-110., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/5750#/summary, https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/getref.asp?id=471
page(s): 491 [details]
original description (of Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description (of Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970) Pinto, S. Y. (1970). Observações ictiológicas. VI. -- Antobrantia, nôvo gênero de ofictídeo do Brasil (Actinopterygii, Anguilliformes, Ophichthyidae). <em>Atas da Sociedade de biologia do Rio de Janeiro.</em> 14 (1-2): 13-15. [details]
original description (of Anguilla serpens Shaw, 1803) Shaw, G. (1803). General zoology or systematic natural history . <em>Pisces. G. Kearsley, London, 1800-1826.</em> vol. 4 (1803) and vol. 5 (1804). [Series is 14 vols., 1800-1826.]. v. 4: (pt. 1) i-v + 1-186, Pls. 1-25; (pt 2), i-xiii + 187-632, Pls. 26-92.
page(s): 23 [details]
basis of record van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
original description (of Muraena hauannensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801) Bloch, M.E.; Schneider, J.G. (1801). M.E. Blochii, Systema Ichthyologiae iconibus cx illustratum. Post obitum auctoris opus inchoatum absolvit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. <em>Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. Berolini. Sumtibus Auctoris Impressum et Bibliopolio Sanderiano Commissum.</em> Pp i-lx + 1-584, Pls. 1-110., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/5750#/summary, https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/getref.asp?id=471
page(s): 491 [details]
original description (of Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. [iii] + 824 pp. , available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors
[request]original description (of Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970) Pinto, S. Y. (1970). Observações ictiológicas. VI. -- Antobrantia, nôvo gênero de ofictídeo do Brasil (Actinopterygii, Anguilliformes, Ophichthyidae). <em>Atas da Sociedade de biologia do Rio de Janeiro.</em> 14 (1-2): 13-15. [details]
original description (of Anguilla serpens Shaw, 1803) Shaw, G. (1803). General zoology or systematic natural history . <em>Pisces. G. Kearsley, London, 1800-1826.</em> vol. 4 (1803) and vol. 5 (1804). [Series is 14 vols., 1800-1826.]. v. 4: (pt. 1) i-v + 1-186, Pls. 1-25; (pt 2), i-xiii + 187-632, Pls. 26-92.
page(s): 23 [details]
basis of record van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Ecology
ecology source
Looby, A.; Erbe, C.; Bravo, S.; Cox, K.; Davies, H. L.; Di Iorio, L.; Jézéquel, Y.; Juanes, F.; Martin, C. W.; Mooney, T. A.; Radford, C.; Reynolds, L. K.; Rice, A. N.; Riera, A.; Rountree, R.; Spriel, B.; Stanley, J.; Vela, S.; Parsons, M. J. G. (2023). Global inventory of species categorized by known underwater sonifery. <em>Scientific Data.</em> 10(1). (look up in IMIS), available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02745-4 [details]
Other
context source (Bermuda)
Smith-Vaniz, W. F.; Collette, B. B.; Luckhurst, B. E (1999). Fishes of Bermuda: History, zoogeography, annotated checklist, and identification keys
(American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists - Special Publication No.4)
. ASIH, 424 pp. [details]
additional source Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2026). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (04/2025)., available online at https://www.fishbase.org [details]
additional source McEachran, J. D. (2009). Fishes (Vertebrata: Pisces) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 1223–1316 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2026). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (04/2025)., available online at https://www.fishbase.org [details]
additional source McEachran, J. D. (2009). Fishes (Vertebrata: Pisces) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 1223–1316 in: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| English | spotted snake eel | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (1 barcode)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Ophisurus havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (10 publications) (from synonym Herpetoichthys callisoma Abbott, 1860)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (10 publications) (from synonym Ophisurus guttatus Cuvier, 1816)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (15 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Uranichthys havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (36 publications) (from synonym Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Ophichthys ophis (Linnaeus, 1758))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (5 publications) (from synonym Uranichthys brachycephalus Poey, 1867)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (6 publications) (from synonym Herpetoichthys sulcatus Kaup, 1856)
To FishBase (from synonym Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970)
To FishBase (from synonym Herpetoichthys sulcatus Kaup, 1856)
To FishBase (from synonym Uranichthys havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To FishBase (from synonym Uranichthys brachycephalus Poey, 1867)
To FishBase
To FishBase (from synonym Herpetoichthys callisoma Abbott, 1860)
To FishBase (from synonym Ophichthys ophis (Linnaeus, 1758))
To FishBase (from synonym Ophisurus guttatus Cuvier, 1816)
To FishBase (from synonym Ophisurus havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To FishBase (from synonym Anguilla serpens Shaw, 1803)
To FishBase (from synonym Muraena hauannensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
To FishBase (from synonym Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Ophichthus ophis USNM 405225 photograph lateral view)
To PESI
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Ophisurus havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (1 publication) (from synonym Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (10 publications) (from synonym Herpetoichthys callisoma Abbott, 1860)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (10 publications) (from synonym Ophisurus guttatus Cuvier, 1816)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (15 publications)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (3 publications) (from synonym Uranichthys havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (36 publications) (from synonym Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (4 publications) (from synonym Ophichthys ophis (Linnaeus, 1758))
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (5 publications) (from synonym Uranichthys brachycephalus Poey, 1867)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (6 publications) (from synonym Herpetoichthys sulcatus Kaup, 1856)
To FishBase (from synonym Antobrantia ribeiroi Pinto, 1970)
To FishBase (from synonym Herpetoichthys sulcatus Kaup, 1856)
To FishBase (from synonym Uranichthys havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To FishBase (from synonym Uranichthys brachycephalus Poey, 1867)
To FishBase
To FishBase (from synonym Herpetoichthys callisoma Abbott, 1860)
To FishBase (from synonym Ophichthys ophis (Linnaeus, 1758))
To FishBase (from synonym Ophisurus guttatus Cuvier, 1816)
To FishBase (from synonym Ophisurus havanensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801))
To FishBase (from synonym Anguilla serpens Shaw, 1803)
To FishBase (from synonym Muraena hauannensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
To FishBase (from synonym Muraena ophis Linnaeus, 1758)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Ophichthus ophis USNM 405225 photograph lateral view)
To PESI
To ITIS
Unreviewed
Hosted externally
