Biology:Rufus snake-eel
| Rufus snake-eel | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Ophichthidae |
| Genus: | Ophichthus |
| Species: | O. rufus
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| Binomial name | |
| Ophichthus rufus (Rafinesque, 1810)
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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The rufus snake-eel[2] (Ophichthus rufus) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[3] It was described by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1810, originally under the genus Echelus.[4] It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, including Algeria, Albania, Croatia, Egypt, France , Cyprus, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Israel, Montenegro, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Slovenia, Spain , Tunisia, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Turkey.[5] It inhabits mud sediments on the continental shelf. Males can reach a maximum total length of 60 centimetres (24 in).[3]
The rufus snake-eel's diet consists of bony fish, mollusks and benthic crustaceans.[6] It has been recorded spawning from July to October, in the Mediterranean.[7] Due to its wide distribution and abundant population, as well as a lack of known major threats, the IUCN redlist currently lists the rufus snake-eel as Least Concern[5]
References
- ↑ Synonyms of Ophichthus rufus at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Common names of Ophichthus rufus at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ophichthus rufus at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Rafinesque, C. S., 1810 [ref. 3594] Caratteri di alcuni nuovi generi e nuove specie di animali e piante della Sicilia, con varie osservazioni sopra i medisimi. Sanfilippo, Palermo. (Part 1 involves fishes, pp. [i-iv] 3-69 [70 blank], Part 2 with slightly different title, pp. ia-iva + 71-105 [106 blank]). Pls. 1-20.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ophichthus rufus at the IUCN redlist.
- ↑ Food items reported for Ophichthus rufus at www.fishbase.org.
- ↑ Spawning for Ophichthus rufus at www.fishbase.org.
Wikidata ☰ Q2202321 entry
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