42: OPHICHTHIDAE (SNAKE EELS & WORM EELS)
42.12 Muraenichthys xorae: 25 em holotype (Transkei), arrow indicates anus; tooth pattern, lower jaw on left.
42.12 Muraenichthys xorae
Smith,1958
Orangehead worm-eel
Oranjekop-wurmpaling
Muraenichthys xorae Smith , 1958: 126, Fig. 1 (Xora, Transkei); 1961 :
572, No. 1135a*; 1962: 462* .
Head 9-10; depth 35; tail 1.8. Snout blunt. Teeth small, sharp, biserial
on uppet jaw, uniserial on lower; a few teeth on intermaxillary; biserial ,
becoming uniserial on vomer. Vertebrae 139-144.
Olive yellow body; head and tail tip orange, belly
greenish. Attains 25 cm. Algoa Bay to Natal.
Genus Myrichthys Girard, 1859
Teeth molariform or granular; D origin on nape; P
rudimentary. Seven species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Dark rings encircling head and body; A ends well
before end of D .... .. . .. . . . . ........... M. colubrinus
Ib Several longitudinal series of dark spots along sides
and dorsal surface ; D & A end a short distance from
tail tip ..... . .. . .................. ... M. maculosus
42.13 Myrichthys colubrinus: top: 50 em (Inhaea Id.); bottom: 76 em
(N. Mozambique).
42.13 Myrichthys colubrinus
(Boddaert, 1781)
Ringed snake-eel
Geringde slangpaling
Muraena colubrina Boddaert, 1781: 56, PI. 2, Fig. 3 (Pacific) .
Myrichthys colubrinus: Smith, 1958: 135* ; SFSA No. l099b*j 1962: 448* .
Head 17.5-20; depth 48-55 ; tail 1.8-1.9. Teeth all blunt ; biserial on jaws;
a few on intermaxillary, 1-2 rows on vomer. Vertebrae 190-201.
Milky yellow with 25-32 narrow black rings, mostly meeting underneath; black spots may develop between rings
with age. Attains 88 cm. Indo-Pacific; south to Delagoa
Bay.
42.14 Myrichthys maculosus
(Cuvier.1816)
Ocellated snake-eel
Swartogies-slangpaling
Muraena maculosa Cuvier, 1816: 232 (Indonesia) . Myrichthys
maculosus: Smith , 1962: 448* ; Winterbottom, 1978: 44.
Head 12-16; depth 35-50; tail 1.7. Teeth all blunt; biserial on jaws and
vomer; a few on intermaxillary. Vertebrae 189-194.
Pale cream with conspicuous large and small, round to
oval black spots; young with black saddles. Attains 50 cm.
Transkei to Kenya, Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific .
•
42.14 Myriehthys maculosus: 48 em (Kenya).
Genus Mystriophis Kaup, 1856
Two species; 1 in our area.
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42.12 Muraenichthys xorae: 25 em holotype (Transkei), arrow indicates anus; tooth pattern, lower jaw on left.
42.12 Muraenichthys xorae
Smith,1958
Orangehead worm-eel
Oranjekop-wurmpaling
Muraenichthys xorae Smith , 1958: 126, Fig. 1 (Xora, Transkei); 1961 :
572, No. 1135a*; 1962: 462* .
Head 9-10; depth 35; tail 1.8. Snout blunt. Teeth small, sharp, biserial
on uppet jaw, uniserial on lower; a few teeth on intermaxillary; biserial ,
becoming uniserial on vomer. Vertebrae 139-144.
Olive yellow body; head and tail tip orange, belly
greenish. Attains 25 cm. Algoa Bay to Natal.
Genus Myrichthys Girard, 1859
Teeth molariform or granular; D origin on nape; P
rudimentary. Seven species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Dark rings encircling head and body; A ends well
before end of D .... .. . .. . . . . ........... M. colubrinus
Ib Several longitudinal series of dark spots along sides
and dorsal surface ; D & A end a short distance from
tail tip ..... . .. . .................. ... M. maculosus
42.13 Myrichthys colubrinus: top: 50 em (Inhaea Id.); bottom: 76 em
(N. Mozambique).
42.13 Myrichthys colubrinus
(Boddaert, 1781)
Ringed snake-eel
Geringde slangpaling
Muraena colubrina Boddaert, 1781: 56, PI. 2, Fig. 3 (Pacific) .
Myrichthys colubrinus: Smith, 1958: 135* ; SFSA No. l099b*j 1962: 448* .
Head 17.5-20; depth 48-55 ; tail 1.8-1.9. Teeth all blunt ; biserial on jaws;
a few on intermaxillary, 1-2 rows on vomer. Vertebrae 190-201.
Milky yellow with 25-32 narrow black rings, mostly meeting underneath; black spots may develop between rings
with age. Attains 88 cm. Indo-Pacific; south to Delagoa
Bay.
42.14 Myrichthys maculosus
(Cuvier.1816)
Ocellated snake-eel
Swartogies-slangpaling
Muraena maculosa Cuvier, 1816: 232 (Indonesia) . Myrichthys
maculosus: Smith , 1962: 448* ; Winterbottom, 1978: 44.
Head 12-16; depth 35-50; tail 1.7. Teeth all blunt; biserial on jaws and
vomer; a few on intermaxillary. Vertebrae 189-194.
Pale cream with conspicuous large and small, round to
oval black spots; young with black saddles. Attains 50 cm.
Transkei to Kenya, Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific .
•
42.14 Myriehthys maculosus: 48 em (Kenya).
Genus Mystriophis Kaup, 1856
Two species; 1 in our area.
181