Ophichthidae

Fricke, Ronald, Allen, Gerald R., Andréfouët, Serge, Chen, Wei-Jen, Hamel, Mélanie A., Laboute, Pierre, Mana, Ralph, Hui, Tan Heok & Uyeno, Daisuke, 2014, Checklist of the marine and estuarine fishes of Madang District, Papua New Guinea, western Pacific Ocean, with 820 new records, Zootaxa 3832 (1), pp. 1-247 : 22-23

Ophichthidae

Apterichtus klazingai (Weber, 1913) —Sharp-snout snake eel

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on a specimen collected at St. PD 0 2, and by W.-J. Chen, St. PD 66. NTM and SMF material (NTUM 10101; SMF 34916).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa east to Hawaiian Islands, south to New Caledonia. Buried in sand bottoms, 1– 120 m. Marine.

Brachysomophis cirrocheilos (Bleeker, 1857) —Stargazer snakemoray

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on WAM material (WAM P.30623-001). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea and East Africa east to Philippines and New Guinea, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia. Sand and mud bottoms, 1– 15 m. Marine.

Brachysomophis crocodilinus (Bennett, 1833) —Crocodile snake eel

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by McCosker & Randall (2001: 19). CAS material. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa and Mascarenes east to Society Islands, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia. Found on sand bottoms, 0– 15 m. Marine.

Brachysomophis henshawi Jordan & Snyder, 1904 —Reptilian snake eel STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on a specimen collected by W.-J. Chen, St. PNB 50. NTUM material (NTUM 10268).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Oman; Philippines east to Society Islands. Buried in sand near reefs, 0– 15 m. Marine.

Lamnostoma kampeni (Weber & Beaufort, 1916) —Freshwater snake eel

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang as Achirophichthys kampeni by Kailola (1975: 22). CAS and KFRS material.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Philippines, northern New Guinea, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Found on sand bottom; adults in freshwater streams, larvae marine, 0– 10 m. Freshwater, transitional water and marine.

Lamnostoma polyophthalma (Bleeker, 1853) —Ocellated sand eel

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Kailola (1987a: 57).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. India east to Marquesas Islands, south to Vanuatu. Found on sand and mud bottoms of inshore areas and estuaries, 0– 10 m. Transitional water and marine.

Leiuranus semicinctus (Lay & Bennett, 1839) —Saddled snake eel

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on WAM material (WAM P.29624-027). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa east to Hawaiian and Tuamotu islands, south to New Caledonia. Sand and seagrass, 1– 10 m. Marine.

Myrichthys colubrinus (Boddaert, 1781) —Ringed snake eel, banded snake eel

STATUS AT MADANG. First record from Madang by Parenti & Allen (1991: 317); confirmed by McCosker & Rosenblatt (1993: 160). CAS material.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea and East Africa (south to Delagoa Bay, Mozambique) east to Johnston and Tuamotu (but not Hawaiian) islands, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to Western Australia and New Caledonia. On sand patches of lagoon and seaward reefs, 0– 30 m. Marine.

Neenchelys daedalus McCosker, 1982 —New Guinea serpent eel

STATUS AT MADANG. Originally described from Madang by McCosker (1982: 63, figs. 4–5). AMS and CAS material.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Japan; Papua New Guinea, 0– 256 m. Marine.

Phyllophichthus xenodontus Gosline, 1951 —Flappy snake eel

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on CAS and WAM material (CAS 65953; WAM P.30350-008).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa east to Hawaiian and Society islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia. Sand patches near lagoon and seaward reefs, 1– 20 m. Marine.

Scolecenchelys gymnota (Bleeker, 1857) —Slender worm eel

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on WAM material (WAM P.29595-023). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea and East Africa east to Marshall and Pitcairn islands, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia. Sand bottom near reefs, 1– 20 m. Marine.

Scolecenchelys laticaudata (Ogilby, 1897) —Redfin worm eel

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on WAM material (WAM P.29595-037). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Red Sea and East Africa east to Marshall and Pitcairn islands, north to Philippines, south to northern Australia. Sand bottom near reefs, 1– 20 m. Marine.

Scolecenchelys macroptera (Bleeker, 1857) —Narrow worm eel

STATUS AT MADANG. New record from Madang, based on AMS material (AMS I.16671-003). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. East Africa east to Marshall and Society islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia. Sand bottom near reefs, 1– 20 m. Marine.