Snubnose Snake Eel

This moderately elongate species is distinguished by the following: tail 58% and head 9.6% of total length; dorsal-fin origin is above the pectoral fins; elongated pectoral fins, filamentous dorsally; large eyes, the center behind middle of upper jaw; posterior nostril covered by a flap; head pores apparent, SO 1 + 4, IO 4 + 2, POM 6 + 2; teeth are small, conical, and slightly recurved, numerous and close-set; uniserial on vomer and mandible, biserial on maxillary, the inner row larger; pale color, overlain on mid-flank by a dark band; vertebral formula 13/60/153 (Ref. 75745)..

Collection assumed to be over soft substrates, the tow was usually no farther than 300-400 m from known coral habitat. Captured during the trawl included species typical of slope habitat (14 species dominated by Laemonema barbatulum and Helicolenus dactylopterus) and invertebrates (Ref. 75745).

The snubnose snake eel (Ophichthus brevirostris) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by John E. McCosker and Steve W. Ross in 2007. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from North Carolina, USA, in the western central Atlantic Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 370 to 440 meters (1,210 to 1,440 ft). Females can reach a total length of 29.2 centimeters (11.5 in).

The species epithet "brevirostris" means "short muzzle" in Latin, and is treated as a noun in apposition.