42: OPHICHTHIDAE (SNAKE EELS & WORM EELS)
42.15 Mystriophis rostellatus
(Richardson, 1844)
West coast snake-eel
Weskus-slangpaling
Ophisurus rostellatus Richardson, 1844: 105 (Senegal). Mystriophis rostellatus: Kaup, 1856: 45; Smith , SFSA No. llOS. Ophichthys rostellatus:
(Junther, 1870: 56.
Head 8.1-10.5; depth 26-38; tail 1.6-1.8. Snout conical, clavate at its tip .
D origin over end of P. Teeth pointed, unequal , a larger inner row on
upper jaw, a larger outer row on lower jaw; uniserial on vomer, large
fangs anteriorly. Vertebrae 154-158.
Brownish above, lighter below. Attains 136 cm. West
Africa to Walvis Bay, to 40 m depth .
42.15 Mystriophis rostellatus: (E. Atlantic; after Bohlke, 1981).
Genus Ophichthus Ahl, 1789
Pectoral fins well developed. About 60 species ; 7 in our
area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Body coloration nearly uniform or darker on dorsal
surface, not distinctly marked . . . . .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. 2
1b Body coloration either marked, spotted, banded or saddled . . .. 5
2a Body slender and elongate, depth 44-55 in length . . . O. marginatus
2b Body stouter, depth 25-36 in length; . . .. ... .. ..... . .. . . 3
3a D origin a head length behind gill opening;
head 15-16 in TL .. ..... . . . .. . . . ... .... .. . O. bennettai
3b D origin less than a head length behind gill opening ;
head 9-11 in TL . .. . . .. . ... . .. . . . .. . . . ... . .. . ... 4
4a Jaw teeth in 2 or 3 serial rows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O. unicolor
4b Jaw teeth in a single row .. .. . . .. .. .. . ... .. .. . O. apicalis
42.16 Ophichthus apicalis: 45 cm (Natal). Arrows indicate 0 origin and anus.
182
Sa Body overlain with 18-27 brown bands or saddles
that are slightly wider than their interspaces . .. .. . O. bonaparti
5b Body overlain with numerous ocellated or irregular dark
spots, not regularly placed bands or saddles .. . . .. .. .. .... 6
6a Head and body overlain with numerous ocellated
spots ; D origin above middle of P . . . . . . . .. O. polyophthalmus
6b Head and body overlain with numerous solid dark
spots ; D origin above gill opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O. erabo
42.16 Ophichthus apicalis
(Bennett, 1830)
PLATE 8
Bluntnose snake-eel
Stompneus-slangpaling
Ophisurus apicalis Bennett, 1830: 694 (Celebes). Opichthus unicolor
(non Regan) : Fowler, 1934: 416 (in part) . Ophichthus apicalis: Smith ,
SFSA No. ll03*; 1962: 458* .
Head 9-11 ; depth 26-33; tail 1.6. D origin over or behind P. Teeth small,
sharp; uniserial on jaws, in a cluster on intermaxillary and irregularly biserial on vomer. Vertebrae 136-139.
Pale brownish yellow, lighter on fins . Attains 45 cm. St.
Francis Bay northwards, to Kenya, Madagascar and IndoPacific; from shore to 22 m depth.
42.17 Ophichthus bennettai
McCosker, 1986
Slender snake-eel
Siank slangpaling
Ophichthus bennettai McCosker, 1986: 1, Figs. 1 & 2 (32°14'5, 16°32'E).
Head 15.6; body depth at anus 32, depth behind gill openings 35.8; tail
1.6 in TL. P rounded, 3.9 in depth; D origin well behind P tip but in
anterior trunk region. Teeth small, conical, biserial in upper jaw, uniserial
on vomer and mandible. Vertebrae 167.
Live colour unknown ; preserved uniform brown, darker
dorsally; fins and tail tip yellow. Known from the single
specimen, 68 cm in length, trawled in 372 m off the Cape
Province west coast.
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42.17 Ophichthus bennettai: 68 cm holotype showing head, anterior trunk
region and dentition (western Cape coast).
42.15 Mystriophis rostellatus
(Richardson, 1844)
West coast snake-eel
Weskus-slangpaling
Ophisurus rostellatus Richardson, 1844: 105 (Senegal). Mystriophis rostellatus: Kaup, 1856: 45; Smith , SFSA No. llOS. Ophichthys rostellatus:
(Junther, 1870: 56.
Head 8.1-10.5; depth 26-38; tail 1.6-1.8. Snout conical, clavate at its tip .
D origin over end of P. Teeth pointed, unequal , a larger inner row on
upper jaw, a larger outer row on lower jaw; uniserial on vomer, large
fangs anteriorly. Vertebrae 154-158.
Brownish above, lighter below. Attains 136 cm. West
Africa to Walvis Bay, to 40 m depth .
42.15 Mystriophis rostellatus: (E. Atlantic; after Bohlke, 1981).
Genus Ophichthus Ahl, 1789
Pectoral fins well developed. About 60 species ; 7 in our
area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Body coloration nearly uniform or darker on dorsal
surface, not distinctly marked . . . . .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. .. 2
1b Body coloration either marked, spotted, banded or saddled . . .. 5
2a Body slender and elongate, depth 44-55 in length . . . O. marginatus
2b Body stouter, depth 25-36 in length; . . .. ... .. ..... . .. . . 3
3a D origin a head length behind gill opening;
head 15-16 in TL .. ..... . . . .. . . . ... .... .. . O. bennettai
3b D origin less than a head length behind gill opening ;
head 9-11 in TL . .. . . .. . ... . .. . . . .. . . . ... . .. . ... 4
4a Jaw teeth in 2 or 3 serial rows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O. unicolor
4b Jaw teeth in a single row .. .. . . .. .. .. . ... .. .. . O. apicalis
42.16 Ophichthus apicalis: 45 cm (Natal). Arrows indicate 0 origin and anus.
182
Sa Body overlain with 18-27 brown bands or saddles
that are slightly wider than their interspaces . .. .. . O. bonaparti
5b Body overlain with numerous ocellated or irregular dark
spots, not regularly placed bands or saddles .. . . .. .. .. .... 6
6a Head and body overlain with numerous ocellated
spots ; D origin above middle of P . . . . . . . .. O. polyophthalmus
6b Head and body overlain with numerous solid dark
spots ; D origin above gill opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O. erabo
42.16 Ophichthus apicalis
(Bennett, 1830)
PLATE 8
Bluntnose snake-eel
Stompneus-slangpaling
Ophisurus apicalis Bennett, 1830: 694 (Celebes). Opichthus unicolor
(non Regan) : Fowler, 1934: 416 (in part) . Ophichthus apicalis: Smith ,
SFSA No. ll03*; 1962: 458* .
Head 9-11 ; depth 26-33; tail 1.6. D origin over or behind P. Teeth small,
sharp; uniserial on jaws, in a cluster on intermaxillary and irregularly biserial on vomer. Vertebrae 136-139.
Pale brownish yellow, lighter on fins . Attains 45 cm. St.
Francis Bay northwards, to Kenya, Madagascar and IndoPacific; from shore to 22 m depth.
42.17 Ophichthus bennettai
McCosker, 1986
Slender snake-eel
Siank slangpaling
Ophichthus bennettai McCosker, 1986: 1, Figs. 1 & 2 (32°14'5, 16°32'E).
Head 15.6; body depth at anus 32, depth behind gill openings 35.8; tail
1.6 in TL. P rounded, 3.9 in depth; D origin well behind P tip but in
anterior trunk region. Teeth small, conical, biserial in upper jaw, uniserial
on vomer and mandible. Vertebrae 167.
Live colour unknown ; preserved uniform brown, darker
dorsally; fins and tail tip yellow. Known from the single
specimen, 68 cm in length, trawled in 372 m off the Cape
Province west coast.
\ '.
: f
:~;
< \ . . ~/
42.17 Ophichthus bennettai: 68 cm holotype showing head, anterior trunk
region and dentition (western Cape coast).