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Reptilian snake eel
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anguilliformes
Family:	Ophichthidae
Genus:	Brachysomophis
Species:	B. henshawi
Binomial name
Brachysomophis henshawi D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1904

The reptilian snake eel (Brachysomophis henshawi), also known as Henshaw's snake eel, the Hawaiian crocodile eel or the crocodile snake eel, is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by David Starr Jordan and John Otterbein Snyder in 1904.

Biology

It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific. It dwells at a depth range of 1 to 35 m (3.3–114.8 ft), and inhabits burrows formed in sandy areas in rocky and coral reefs. During the night it often lets its head and neck protrude from its burrow, but during the day it only leaves its snout and some of its head exposed. It can reach a maximum total length of 101 cm (3 ft 4 in).

Etymology

The species epithet "henshawi" was given in honour of Henry W. Henshaw.

References

1. Common names of Brachysomophis henshawi at www.fishbase.org.
2. ^ Brachysomophis henshawi at www.fishbase.org.
3. Jordan, D. S. and J. O. Snyder, 1904. Notes on collections of fishes from Oahu Island and Laysan Island, Hawaii, with descriptions of four new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum v. 27 (no. 1377): 939-948.

External links

• Photos of Reptilian snake eel on Sealife Collection
• Henshaw's Snake Eel @ Fishes of Australia

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• Brachysomophis
• Fish of the Indian Ocean
• Fish of the Pacific Ocean
• Taxa named by David Starr Jordan
• Taxa named by John Otterbein Snyder
• Fish described in 1904
• Ophichthidae stubs