Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Ophichthus: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335); kbalanensis: Name 'kbalanensis' from the old name of the type locality of the species, Kbalan (Yilan).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic. Subtropical
Northwest Pacific: Chinese Taipei.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 41.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 133140)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 153. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: head 10.3% TL; tail 62.7% TL; dorsal-fin origin above about middle of pectoral fin; tip of lower jaw anterior to anterior-nostril base; two simple, distally pointed protrusions along upper lip; SO 1 + 4; POM 6 or 7 + 3; uniserial teeth on jaws and vomer but posterior ends of maxilla and anterior end of symphysis biserial; body dark; narrow dark margins on median fins, except the pale fin origins; 14 predorsal and 53 preanal lateral-line pores; VF 12-55-153 (Ref. 133140).
Cross section: circular.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Hibino, Y., H.-C. Ho and J.-F. Huang, 2024. Descriptions of two new dark-body snake eels of the genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes, Ophichthidae) from Taiwan. ZooKeys 1220:63-78. (Ref. 133140)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (31 of 100).
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