Black Striped Snake Eel

Adults have a broad lateral black band along the middle of each side.Description: Characterized by whitish to cream color; black margin of dorsal fin; head length 10-20 in TL; body depth 48-73 in TL; short tail, 3.2-3.6 in TL; eye above tip of lower jaw; dorsal fin origin above or slightly posterior to corner of mouth; no pectoral fin; intermaxillary with 2-4 backward slanting canines in ventral groove under snout; remaining teeth of jaws and vomer small and uniserial (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 0; Vertebrae: 195 - 205

Found in shallow areas buried in loose gravel and sand (Ref. 1602, 75154). Benthic (Ref. 58302, 75154). It buries itself with the aid of its pointed snout or its bony, sharp tail.

Callechelys catostoma, the black-striped snake eel or dark band snake eel,) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider and Johann Reinhold Forster in 1801. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea, East Africa, the Society Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, and Lord Howe Island. It dwells at a depth range of 1–32 metres, and inhabits reefs. It burrows into loose gravel and sand. Males can reach a maximum total length of 85 centimetres.