Ophichthus kunaloa McCosker 1979

This moderately elongate species of Ophichthus, subgenus Coecilophis is distinguished by the following characters: tail 59-60%, head 9.6-10.1% of total length and body depth at gill opening 3.2-3.7% of TL; origin of dorsal-fin above mid pectoral fin; elongate pectoral fin, non-filamentous; posterior margin or orbit in advance of rictus; posterior nostril a hole above upper lip is covered by a flap; no lip barbels; small but conspicuous head pores, SO 1+4, IO 4+2, POM 2+5; small, conical teeth, biserial on anterior vomer and jaws; uniform gray brown in color, lighter ventrally, fins pale except anal which has a dark patch at posterior base; mean vertebral formula 15/66/182, total vertebrae 180-185 (Ref. 84366).

Vertebrae: 180 - 185

Benthic on fine sand or hard substrata with crevices (Ref. 58302).

Ophichthus kunaloa is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by John E. McCosker in 1979. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from the Hawaiian Islands, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 220 to 475 metres (722 to 1,558 ft), and leads a benthic lifestyle, inhabiting fine sand sediments and crevices in harder substrates. Males can reach a maximum total length of 47.3 centimetres (18.6 in).