Home · Chlopsidae · Longtooth snake eel
Longtooth snake eel (Boehlkenchelys longidentata) — Chlopsidae

Longtooth snake eel

Boehlkenchelys longidentata
Family: Chlopsidae

The Longtooth snake eel (Boehlkenchelys longidentata) is a saltwater fish of the family Chlopsidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20.1 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
12.0–65.0 m
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The longtooth snake eel is a snake eel (Ophichthidae) from shallow sand and coastal water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a slender, eel-like, pale body with conspicuously long teeth and a hard, pointed tail with which it burrows backwards into sand. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it lies hidden by day with only its head out of the sand and seizes small fish and crustaceans at night. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Longtooth snake eel?

The Longtooth snake eel has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly white.

Where does the Longtooth snake eel live?

The Longtooth snake eel lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Longtooth snake eel get?

The Longtooth snake eel grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Longtooth snake eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Longtooth snake eel is harmless to humans.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Langtand-slangaal sourced
English name
Longtooth snake eel sourced
Scientific name
Boehlkenchelys longidentata
Family
Chlopsidae
Other names
Long-toothed false moray sourced

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.1 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
White inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
12.0 verified
Max depth (m)
65.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Chlopsidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →