Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) > Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Pisodonophis: Greek, piso, pipisko = to drink + Greek, odous = teeth + Greek, ophis = serpent .

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; anadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range ? - 10 m (Ref. 86942). Tropical, preferred ?

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-West Pacific: Somalia (Ref. 30573) and Tanzania to Natal (South Africa), southern India and Sri Lanka. Also widespread elsewhere from the east Indian coast through Indonesia to Polynesia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3972); common length : 70.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7245)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Vertebrae: 171 - 173. Olive brown above, lighter below (Ref. 3972). Body snake-like, cylindrical, compressed only along extreme tail tip; anterior nostril tubular, posterior along lower edge of lip; teeth granular to molariform, multiserial bands on jaws and vomer, but sharper on jaws and more pointed in young individuals; median fins not continuous posteriorly; extreme tip of tail stiff and finless; dorsal fin origin about a pectoral fin length behind tips of pectoral fins; lateral line inconspicuous (Ref. 4832).

Found in lagoons and estuaries, entering freshwater and paddy fields (Ref. 30573). Common in tidal reaches and nearby upstream areas of coastal rivers (Ref. 12693). Lives in holes in the river bottom and bank and actively forages for small fishes at night (Ref. 12693). Reported to spawn in rice-paddies during the rainy season (Ref. 12693). Caught in bag nets and similar gear. Marketed fresh.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McCosker, John | Collaborators

Castle, P.H.J., 1984. Ophichthidae. p. 38-39. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ORSTOM, Paris and MRAC, Tervuren. Vol. 1. (Ref. 3508)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; bait: usually

FAO(Aquaculture: production; ; publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00151 (0.00061 - 0.00373), b=2.91 (2.70 - 3.12), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 4.0 ±0.71 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (45 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Pisodonophis boro (Hamilton, 1822)