Ophichthus mystacinus McCosker 1999

E, John, 2010, Deepwater Indo-Pacific species of the snake-eel genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of nine new species, Zootaxa 2505, pp. 1-39 : 31-32

Ophichthus mystacinus McCosker 1999

Ophichthus mystacinus McCosker 1999: 579 (type locality New Caledonia, holotype MNHN 1998-46).

Diagnosis. A moderately elongate species of Ophichthus , subgenus Coecilophis , with: tail 59–60%, head 10.7–11.7%, body depth behind gill openings 3.6–4.3% of TL; dorsal-fin origin about mid-trunk; pectoral fins elongate, the central rays threadlike; posterior margin of the orbit ahead of the rictus; cephalic pores small and difficult to discern, SO 1+4, IO 4+2, POM 2+6; teeth conical, numerous and small, biserial in jaws and anteriorly on vomer; coloration yellowish tan, brown dorsally, fins pale, anterior nostrils pale, snout tip smudged, but not blackened; and mean vertebral formula 34.2/61.3/169.7., total vertebrae 162–177 (n=8).

Size. To 429 mm. The holotype, 426 mm, is a male with undeveloped gonads.

Distribution. Known from New Caledonia, Tonga, Fiji, and the Philippines, between 371–824 m depth.

Remarks. Originally described from New Caledonia collections at 450–580 m depth, subsequent material from Fiji and Tonga as shallow as 370 m, and from the Philippines at 810–824 m was identified. The holotype of O. mystacinus has 35/62/174 vertebrae.

Material examined. MNHN 1998-46, the holotype, 426 mm, New Caledonia (18o58'00 S, 163o10'50 E), 580 m. And paratypes: CAS 89552, 429 mm, and BPBM 37308, 336 mm, New Caledonia (18o56'80 S, 163o17'70 E), 450 m; MNHN 1998-47, 383 mm, New Caledonia (18o55'80 S, 163o13'80 E), 500 m. And other material examined: MNHN 1997-1602, 409 mm, Vanuatu, 469– 525 m. MNHN 1997-0603, 433 mm, Vanuatu, 522– 527 m. MNHN 2001-1064, 373 mm, Tonga (21o04'S, 175o22'E), 487 m, otter trawl, Sta. CP 1643, 22 June 2001. MNHN 2001-1067, 3(386–451 mm), Tonga (19o06'S, 174o18'E), 371–437 m, otter trawl, 14 June 2001. MNHN 2001-1094, 563 mm, Fiji (17o11'S, 178o41'E), 398–409 m, otter trawl, 3 Mar. 1999. MNHN 2001-1097, 357 mm, Fiji, (16o05'S, 178o28'E), 400–407 m, otter trawl, 26 Feb. 1999. MNHN 1998- 0 660, 356 mm, an immature male, from off Lubang Island, Philippine Islands, (13o37'N, 120o34'E), Campaigne Musorstom 2, 1998, captured by 4 m otter trawl in 810–824 m on 27 Nov. 1980.