Blackstriped Snake Eel, Callechelys catostoma (Forster 1801)


Other Names: Black-striped Snake Eel, Dark Band Snake Eel

A Blackstriped Snake Eel, Callechelys catostoma, in Lureline Bay, Coogee, New South wales, January 2018. Source: Derrick Cruz / iNaturalist.org. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A long, slender cream coloured snake eel with a dark brown to black band along the back on each side from head to near the tail tip.

Video of a Blackstriped Snake Eel in Lureline Bay, Coogeee, New South Wales, January 2018, depth 13 m.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2021, Callechelys catostoma in Fishes of Australia, accessed 19 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/2892

Blackstriped Snake Eel, Callechelys catostoma (Forster 1801)

More Info


Distribution

Monte Bello Islands and offshore reefs of north Western Australia, Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and the northern Great Barrier Reef to off Gladstone, Queensland, and possibly further south to Coogee, New South Wales; also Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean, and the Lord Howe Province in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific.

Features

Vertebrae 192-205.
Very elongate, body depth  48-73 in TL; head 19 in TL; tail very short, 3.2-3.6 in TL. Teeth recurved, 2 (rarely 3 or 4) large anterior intermaxillary fangs within groove between anterior nostrils, maxillary teeth 4-6, dentary teeth 8-10; ethmoidal pore absent; skin of throat and vent area with prominent longitudinal grooves; a small but conspicuous barbel between anterior and posterior nostrils. Dorsal-fin origin on nape; pectoral fins absent.

Colour

Cream-colored, with a prominent dark brown or black band along back from head to near tail tip, the band beginning at lateral line and extending to dorsal fin base, the  ventral surface and median fins pale, except for thin dark median edge of dorsal; cephalic pores within brown spots, those over branchial basket often within pale spots.

Etymology

The specific name catostoma is from the Greek kato (= inferior) and stoma (= mouth), in reference to the inferior mouth (overhanging upper jaw) of this species.

Species Citation

Sphagebranchus catostomus Schneider in Bloch & Schneider 1801, Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum: 536. Type locality: Moorea, lagoon between Papetaoi and Paopao bays, Tahiti, Society Islands, 0-1.3 m (neotype)

Author

Bray, D.J. 2021

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Blackstriped Snake Eel, Callechelys catostoma (Forster 1801)

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. 

Allen, G.R. 2000. Fishes of the Montebello Islands. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 59: 47-57 

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp. 

Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2 

Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21 

Bleeker, P. 1864. Atlas Ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Néerlandaises, publié sous les auspices du Gouvernement colonial néerlandais. Tome 4. Murènes, Symbranches, Leptocéphales. Amsterdam : Fréd. Müller 132 pp. pls 145-193. (described as Callechelys melanotaenia)

Francis, M. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 47(2): 136-170 figs 1-2 

Francis, M.P. 2019. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4428305.v2

Fricke, R., Kulbicki, M. & Wantiez, L. 2011. Checklist of the fishes of New Caledonia, and their distribution in the Southwest Pacific Ocean (Pisces). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) Neue Serie 4: 341-463 

Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S .J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands: new records, community composition and biogeographic significance. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 203–219 https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/rbz/supplement-no-30/

McCosker, J.E. 1977. The osteology, classification, and relationships of the eel family Ophichthidae. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 41(1): 1-123 figs 1-45 

McCosker, J.E. 1998. A revision of the snake-eel genus Callechelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) with description of two new Indo-Pacific species and a new callechelyin genus. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 50(7): 185-215 See ref at BHL

McCosker, J.E., Hatooka, K., Ohnishi, N. & Endo, H. 2011. Redescription and designation of a neotype for Aphthalmichthys kuro Kuroda 1947, and its placement in Callechelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). Ichthyological Research 58: 272-277 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-011-0238-y

Moore, G.I., Morrison, S.M., Hutchins, B.J., Allen, G.R. & Sampey, A. 2014. Kimberley marine biota. Historical data: fishes. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 84: 161-206 

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs. 

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. 

Randall, J.E. & Wheeler, A. 1991. Reidentification of seven tropical Pacific fishes collected and observed by the Forsters during the voyage of H.M.S. Resolution, 1772-1775. Copeia 1991(3): 760-767 https://doi.org/10.2307/1446403

Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2 (as Callechelys melanotaenia)

Schneider, J.G. in Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801. Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum. Berlin 584 pp. 110 pls.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37068013

Biology:Burrowing

Depth:1-32 m

Habitat:Reef associated, sandy areas

Max Size:85 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map