Ophichthus urolophus (Temminck & Schlegel 1846)

This moderately elongate species of Ophichthus, subgenus Coecilophis is distinguished by the following characters: tail 53-58%, head 11-13% of total length and depth at gill opening 4.0-4.8% of TL; origin of dorsal-fin slightly behind pectoral-tips; pectoral fins spatulate, non-elongate and slightly less than length; large eyes, posterior margin of orbit ahead of rictus; posterior nostril a hole in upper lip and covered by a flap; small, inconspicuous head pores, SO 1+3, IO 4+2, POM 2-3+6-7 (usually 3+7); small, conical teeth, uniserial on mandible and vomer, few anterior teeth on maxillary; color tan on flanks and dorsum, pale ventrally, all fins and anterior nostrils pale, chin and snout dusky; mean vertebral formula 16.2/54.0/136.5, total vertebrae 134-139 (Ref. 84366).

Vertebrae: 134 - 139

Found on the continental shelf (Ref. 75154). Taken from great depths, rarely from shallow muddy bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals.

Taken from great depths, rarely from shallow muddy bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals (Ref. 637).

fisheries: of no interest

分布於印度-西太平洋海域：日本南部、琉球、香港、菲律賓及印尼均有記錄。台灣四周海域皆有產，東部海域主要分布於大溪、長濱一帶。

為台灣常見的蛇鰻種類之一，數量頗多，產量僅次於食蟹荳齒蛇鰻，一般俗稱篡仔。於大溪漁港下雜魚堆採集時，經常可發現到本種及食蟹荳齒蛇鰻還在苟延殘喘，生命力極為強韌。可惜刺密肉少且腥味甚重，僅少數民眾會拿來藥燉食用。

全長為頭長的8.3-9.2倍；全長為鰓孔位體高的23.4-26.9倍；全長為軀幹長的3.0-3.2倍。體較為粗長，尾長大於體長；吻端較為圓鈍；背鰭起點於胸鰭末端之後；無尾鰭，背、臀鰭於近尾端處明顯上揚；尾端柔軟呈肉質狀；齒皆為圓錐狀，具5顆上頜間齒，篩骨齒則排成二列，之後的鋤骨齒遞減為一列；體呈淺灰色，腹面較白；胸鰭白色，背、臀鰭亦白，但鰭緣略帶淡黃；頭部感覺孔不甚清楚，但於下頜兩側的數個感覺孔則明顯呈灰黑色條狀分布；平均脊椎骨組成：15-54-135，總脊椎骨數為134-137。

主要棲息於沿岸海域之沙泥底，以無脊椎動物或小魚為食。

The manetail snake eel (Ophichthus urolophus) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Hermann Schlegel in 1846, originally under the genus Conger. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific. It inhabits deep waters, but is found in muddy sediments in shallow waters on rare occasions. Males can reach a maximum total length of 61.5 centimetres (24.2 in).

The manetail snake eel's diet consists of benthic invertebrates.