Myrichthys colubrinus

Harlequin Snake Eel | Banded Snake Eel | Broad Nosed Worm Eel | Ringed Snake Eel
Myrichthys colubrinus
Myrichthys colubrinus, Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Myrichthys colubrinus
Myrichthys colubrinus, Ningaloo Reef, Australia, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Myrichthys colubrinus
Myrichthys colubrinus

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Light body with dark, fully encircling bands (darker towards head). Leiuranus snake eels either have saddles rather than bands, which don\'t join on the underside, or bands which may have light bars within (L. versicolor). Resembles the sea snake Laticauda colubrina.


Information

Max Size: 97 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 18.7-30.6°C

Depth: 0-35m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Infrequent (1.7% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: extract from RD Stuart-Smith, GJ Edgar, AJ Green, IV Shaw. 2015. Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland