Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Carapidae (Pearlfishes) > Carapinae
Etymology: Encheliophis: Greek, enchelys, = eel + Greek, ophis = serpent (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range ? - 62 m (Ref. 11897). Tropical, preferred ?
Indo-West Pacific: in tropical waters.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4104)
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 25-36;
Anal
soft rays: 42 - 52;
Vertebrae: 136 - 140. Eel-like, moderate to shallow body depth; maxilla adnate or nearly so; cardiform teeth present; branchiostegal membranes partly or completely united; swim bladder with thin terminal membrane or bulb; lacking enlarged dentary or premaxillary fangs, dentary diastema, pelvic fins, and swim bladder rocker bone (Ref. 34024). Swim bladder long, tubular, extending well beyond 12th vertebra (Ref. 34024).
Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Benthic (Ref. 58302, 75154). Lives in starfish (Culcita discoidea) and sea cucumbers (Holothuria scabra and H. argus). In the latter reported by Trott (1970) to form male - female pairs and to parasite host. Parasitic, feeding on gonads and respiratory tree of its host. Usually associated with Bohadschia argus (Ref 90102).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Nielsen, J.G., D.M. Cohen, D.F. Markle and C.R. Robins, 1999. Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(18):178p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 34024)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00102 (0.00046 - 0.00225), b=3.06 (2.88 - 3.24), in cm Total Length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.00 se; Based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): .
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100) .