RESEARCH ARTICLE
Suculentophichthus nasus,
a new genus and new species of snake eel from the
northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (Teleostei: Ophichthidae)
Ronald Fricke, Daniel Golani
& Brenda Appelbaum-Golani
Abstract
A new genus and species of
snake eel, Suculentophichthus nasus, is described
on the basis of a single specimen collected with a
beach seine in 0.5–1 m depth at the northern beach
of Eilat, Israel, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. The new
genus is characterised within the subfamily Ophichthinae
by the tail which is much longer than the head and
trunk; median fins low; origin of dorsal fin well
in advance of pectoral-fin base; lower part of pectoral-fin
base arising opposite upper one-fourth of gill opening,
and occupying the upper one third of gill opening;
gill openings sublateral, elongate, nearly vertical
and crescentic, shorter than isthmus; eye moderately
developed, its center above posterior third of upper
jaw, its posterior margin well in advance of rictus;
jaws moderately developed, lower jaw fits into upper
jaw; snout conical, tapering evenly, its tip rounded;
underside of snout with a median sulcus exposing the
teeth in advance of the anterior nostril bases; anterior
nostrils within short tubes; a large, succulent-leaf
shaped flap behind anterior nostril; posterior nostril
a hole above upper lip; teeth conical, erect, numerous,
and small, anteriorly biserial and posteriorly uniserial
on maxillary and biserial on mandible; a series of
6 vomerine teeth; and two preopercular pores. The
new species is compared with other species of the
subfamily and a key to the ophichthine eels of the
Red Sea is presented.
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CITATION:
Fricke, R., Golani, D. &
Appelbaum-Golani, B. (2015) Suculentophichthus
nasus, a new genus and new species of snake eel
from the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea (Teleostei:
Ophichthidae). Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation,
16, 56-66.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1021401
publication date: 20 July
2015
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