eel or snake in jamaica?
- Thread starter syner
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
RICHinNC
Contributor
Mostly called a "snake eel", but is a true eel. Scared the you know what the first time I saw one. Had to throw that shorie away!
-hh
Contributor
- Messages
- 1,020
- Reaction score
- 245
It is a snake eel (Ophichthidae); the specific variety is of a Sharptail Eel
Latin name: "Myrichthys breviceps"
{formerly "Myrichthys acumiactus")
Its distinctive features are the large, diffuse & pale spots on the body, and small yellow spots on the head. Body color is usually grayish (as seen here), but can vary darker (olive to purplish-brown).
Generally 1-2.5 ft long (max 3ft); generally found in shallow water; sand/patch reefs.
Like many eels, it is typically a shy day hider - night forager.
For reference, the Goldspotted Eel (Myrichthys ocellatus) is similar in general appearance (it also is light in color and has large diffuse spots on body), but its colors differ noticeably: its body is generally tan (not gray) and its body's spots are "two tone": black with bright yellow centers.
-hh
Latin name: "Myrichthys breviceps"
{formerly "Myrichthys acumiactus")
Its distinctive features are the large, diffuse & pale spots on the body, and small yellow spots on the head. Body color is usually grayish (as seen here), but can vary darker (olive to purplish-brown).
Generally 1-2.5 ft long (max 3ft); generally found in shallow water; sand/patch reefs.
Like many eels, it is typically a shy day hider - night forager.
For reference, the Goldspotted Eel (Myrichthys ocellatus) is similar in general appearance (it also is light in color and has large diffuse spots on body), but its colors differ noticeably: its body is generally tan (not gray) and its body's spots are "two tone": black with bright yellow centers.
-hh
robint
Contributor
yep, sharptail eel. Pretty common in much of the Caribbean.
for future reference:
an eel is a fish, it has gills and lives 100% of time underwater breathing through those gills.
a snake is a reptile, breathes air and must come up to surface to breathe. They live on land, have nests on land, and sea snakes in southern pacific ocean spend large amounts of time underwater hunting but still are air breathers.
for future reference:
an eel is a fish, it has gills and lives 100% of time underwater breathing through those gills.
a snake is a reptile, breathes air and must come up to surface to breathe. They live on land, have nests on land, and sea snakes in southern pacific ocean spend large amounts of time underwater hunting but still are air breathers.
RICHinNC
Contributor
Bottom line....AIN"T POISONOUS !!
Similar threads
