Giant Snake Eel
Ophisurus serpens
Tiger Snake Eel
Myrichthys maculosus
About
The tiger snake eel is a long, snake-like fish covered in bold dark spots, often seen with just its head poking out of the sand.
Also known as: spotted snake eel
How to tell it apart
Its spotted pattern looks like other snake eels, but the number of spot rows (one row on young eels, three on large ones) helps tell its age and confirm the species.
Appearance
Its body is long and slender like a snake, cream or yellow with large brown or black spots that are round or oval. Young eels have a single row of spots, while larger ones show three rows. It has no pelvic or tail fins, and only small pectoral fins near the head.
Habitat
This eel lives in lagoons, on reef flats, in seagrass beds and over sandy plains across the tropical Indo-Pacific.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
