Ophichthus urolophus ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1846 )

E, John, 2010, Deepwater Indo-Pacific species of the snake-eel genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of nine new species, Zootaxa 2505, pp. 1-39 : 37

Ophichthus urolophus ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)

Conger urolophus Temminck & Schlegel 1846:260 (type locality Nagasaki, Japan, lectotype RMNH 3688a). Ophichthys urolophus: Günther 1870: 73 .

Ophichthus urolophus : Jordan & Snyder 1901: 872.

Diagnosis. A moderately elongate species of Ophichthus , subgenus Coecilophis , with: tail 53–58%, head 11– 13%, and depth at gill opening 4.0–4.8% of TL; dorsal-fin origin slightly behind pectoral-tips; pectoral fins spatulate, not elongate, slightly less than jaw length; eye large, posterior margin of orbit ahead of rictus; posterior nostril a hole in upper lip covered by a flap; head pores small, inconspicuous, SO 1+3, IO 4+2, POM 2–3+6–7 (typically 3+7); teeth small, conical, uniserial on mandible and vomer, a few interior teeth on maxillary; coloration tan on flanks and dorsum, pale ventrally, all fins pale, anterior nostrils pale, chin and snout dusky. Mean vertebral formula 16.2/54.0/136.5, total vertebrae 134–139 (n=99).

Size. Attains 615 mm sex undetermined.

Distribution. Known from Japan, Indonesia, and NW Australia, generally at depths of 100– 420 m. An Indonesian specimen (NTM S-10750-001) was captured by bottom trawl in 40– 60 m.

Remarks. The lectotype of Conger urolophus was designated by Boesman (1947:187–188). It has 16/54/ 136 vertebrae. Sumida and Machida (2000) performed an extensive analysis of 89 specimens of O. urolophus from Southern Japan, and I have incorporated their counts and measurements (except for the body depth at gill opening, which they did not include) with specimens listed below in the material examined. A color photograph of a 616 mm specimen from Tosa Bay, Japan, appeared in Ida (1982:62).

Originally described from Japan, the range and depth distribution of Ophichthus urolophus is herein extended to include western Australia and Lombok, Indonesia, between 40– 420 m.

Material examined. RMNH 3688a, 413 mm, the lectotype, from Nagasaki, Japan. Other material examined: AMS I.22821-043, 6(406–490 mm), Western Australia, NW Shelf, N. of Pt. Hedland (18o16'S, 118o12'E), 298– 320 m. CSIRO CA 3757, 467 mm, Western Australia, NW Shelf, N. of Pt. Hedland (17o56'S, 118o21'E), prawn trawl at 418– 420 m. CSIRO CA 4424, 513 mm, Western Australia, S. of Scott's Reef (14o37'S, 127o47'E), lobster trawl at 300– 304 m. NTM S- 10750-001, 529 mm, South Lombok, Indonesia (09o00'S, 116o15'E), bottom trawl at 40– 60 m.