Apterichtus caecus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Description


Vertebrae: 132 - 139. This species is distinguished by the following characters: tail 1.6-1.7, head 12-15, and body depth 56-83 in total length; preopercular pores 4 and there are 5 pores in supratemporal canal; teeth conical and uniserial on jaws, becoming biserial on vomer of large specimens, vomerine teeth 8-14; when fresh body ochre in color with numerous small dark brown spots, those spots forming a continuous mid-dorsal band, yellowish on ventral surface; the head with dark brown spots over a pale background, a prominent horizontal white patch beneath and behind the orbit; MVF 52-134, total vertebrae 132-139 (n=6) (Ref. 101270).

Common Names


No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy


Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Ophichthidae

Genus: Apterichtus

Species: Apterichtus caecus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Climate Zone


  • Subtropical
  • Location


  • Eastern Atlantic: Western and eastern Mediterranean, eastern Atlantic south to Azores, Madeira, and the Canary islands.
  • Biology


    Burrows in sand or mud on the continental shelf (Ref. 4455); usually in fine sand (Ref. 101270).

    Habitat


    demersal