Records of species of the snake eels genus \(\textit{Ophichthus}\) (Family Ophichthidae) from Vietnam

Van Quang Vo; Huans-Ching Ho; Yusuke Hibino; Thao Thu Thi  Le; Hoa Hong Thi Tran; Thinh Cong Tran

doi:10.15625/1859-3097/18415

Author affiliations

Authors

Quang Van Vo Institute of Oceanography, VAST, Vietnam https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9680-6898
Huans-Ching Ho National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung, 94450, Taiwan; Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, No. 1, Sec. 2, Da Hsueh Rd. Shoufeng, Hualien 974301, Taiwan; National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, No.1, University Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 824005, Taiwan; Australia Museum, Sydney, Australia
Yusuke Hibino Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 805-0071, Japan
Thao Thu Thi Le Institute of Oceanography, VAST, Vietnam
Hoa Hong Thi Tran Institute of Oceanography, VAST, Vietnam
Thinh Cong Tran Institute of Oceanography, VAST, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15625/1859-3097/18415

Keywords:

Ichthyology, systematic, taxonomy, biodiversity, Ophichthidae.

Abstract

In Vietnam, the Ophichthus snake eel genus comprises 14 distinct species. This research aims to document and visually represent three previously undocumented findings and a newly discovered species. The species Ophichthus bicolor and Ophichthus machidai are meticulously described here, their characteristics based on five specimens each, gathered at depths of approximately 100–180 m and 50–100 m, respectively, in the vicinity of Quy Nhon. Additionally, Ophichthus obtusus is comprehensively described using 12 specimens collected from depths ranging from roughly 50 m to 120 m in the Quy Nhon and Nha Trang areas. Two specimens of Ophichthus shaoi were also recovered from Quy Nhon, contributing additional data regarding this species from Vietnamese waters. The identification of most species relied on careful examination of their morphological characters. These findings collectively raised the Ophichthus genus’s representation in Vietnamese waters by introducing three previously undocumented species, raising the total count to 17 compared to prior research. Furthermore, this study provides a comprehensive key to aid in identifying the various Ophichthus species found in Vietnam.

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