Home · Ophichthidae · Lipped snake eel
Lipped snake eel (Schismorhynchus labialis) — Ophichthidae

Lipped snake eel

Schismorhynchus labialis
Family: Ophichthidae

The Lipped snake eel (Schismorhynchus labialis) is a saltwater fish of the family Ophichthidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–21.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Lipped snake eel is a snake eel (Ophichthidae) from deeper sand and mud water around Australia and the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 40 cm and has a smooth, snake-like, grey-brown body with confluent dorsal, tail and anal fins. As a nocturnal bottom-dweller it shelters in burrows and crevices or buried in sediment by day and hunts small fish, crustaceans and worms at night. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Lipped snake eel?

The Lipped snake eel has a snake-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Lipped snake eel live?

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

How big does the Lipped snake eel get?

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

Is the Lipped snake eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Lipped 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
Lip-slangaal sourced
English name
Lipped snake eel sourced
Scientific name
Schismorhynchus labialis
Family
Ophichthidae
Other names
Grooved-jaw worm eel; Groovejaw worm eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
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 Ophichthidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

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

Get the beta →