PISODONOPHIS BORO - (HAMILTON, 1822)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Elopomorpha (Superorder) > Anguilliformes (Order) > Congroidei (Suborder) > Ophichthidae (Family) > Ophichthinae (Subfamily) > Pisodonophis (Genus)
Serpenton des rizières, Bengal's snake-eel, Estuary snake eel, Rice-paddy eel, Snake eel, Strandmeer-slangpaling, Hadař boro, Tieso de los arrozales, Gomahotateumihebi, ゴマホタテウミヘビ, Kharu, খারু, বাংলা খারু, മലഞ്ഞില്, 雜食豆齒鰻, 波路荳齿蛇鳗, Cá Nhệch răng hạt,
Synonymes
Anguilla acuminata (Swainson, 1839)
Anguilla immaculata (Swainson, 1839)
Conger microstoma (Eydoux & Souleyet, 1850)
Ophisurus acuminata (Swainson, 1839)
Ophichthys boro (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophisurus boro (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophisurus caudatus (McClelland, 1844)
Ophisurus harancha (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophisurus immaculata (Swainson, 1839)
Ophisurus minimus (McClelland, 1844)
Ophisurus potamophilus (Bleeker, 1854)
Ophisurus rostratus (McClelland, 1844)
Ophisurus vermiformis (McClelland, 1844)
Pisodonophis assamensis (Sen, 1986)
Pisodontophis bora (Hamilton, 1822)
Pisoodonophis boro (Hamilton, 1822)
Pisoodonophis rubicandus (Chen, 1929)
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Description
Vertebrae: 167-173; Head long: 9-12; Body depth: 30-36, and tail length: 1.6-1.8 in TL. Dorsal fin origin: ~2-3 pectoral fin lengths behind gill openings; Pectoral fins paddle shaped, not well-developed. Snout short, subconical. Body snake-like, cylindrical, compressed only along extreme tail tip; Eye relatively small; Anterior nostril tubular, posterior nostril along lower edge of lip; Teeth in jaws and on vomer (roof of mouth) granular to molariform, but sharper on jaws and more pointed in young individuals multiserial; A small papilla on upper lip behind base of anterior nostril, a smaller one below eye; Throat swollen and supported by a basket of free brachiostegal rays that overlap below. Vertical fins discontinuous posteriorly, the extreme tip of tail stiff and finless; Dorsal fin oriqinating about a pectoral fin length behind tips of pectoral fins which are well developed; Pelvic fins absent. Lateral line system inconspicuous. Max. length: 100.0 cm TL, common length: 70.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 10 m.
Serpenton des rizières, Bengal's snake-eel, Estuary snake eel, Rice-paddy eel, Snake eel, Strandmeer-slangpaling, Hadař boro, Tieso de los arrozales, Gomahotateumihebi, ゴマホタテウミヘビ, Kharu, খারু, বাংলা খারু, മലഞ്ഞില്, 雜食豆齒鰻, 波路荳齿蛇鳗, Cá Nhệch răng hạt,
Synonymes
Anguilla acuminata (Swainson, 1839)
Anguilla immaculata (Swainson, 1839)
Conger microstoma (Eydoux & Souleyet, 1850)
Ophisurus acuminata (Swainson, 1839)
Ophichthys boro (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophisurus boro (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophisurus caudatus (McClelland, 1844)
Ophisurus harancha (Hamilton, 1822)
Ophisurus immaculata (Swainson, 1839)
Ophisurus minimus (McClelland, 1844)
Ophisurus potamophilus (Bleeker, 1854)
Ophisurus rostratus (McClelland, 1844)
Ophisurus vermiformis (McClelland, 1844)
Pisodonophis assamensis (Sen, 1986)
Pisodontophis bora (Hamilton, 1822)
Pisoodonophis boro (Hamilton, 1822)
Pisoodonophis rubicandus (Chen, 1929)
--------------------------
Description
Vertebrae: 167-173; Head long: 9-12; Body depth: 30-36, and tail length: 1.6-1.8 in TL. Dorsal fin origin: ~2-3 pectoral fin lengths behind gill openings; Pectoral fins paddle shaped, not well-developed. Snout short, subconical. Body snake-like, cylindrical, compressed only along extreme tail tip; Eye relatively small; Anterior nostril tubular, posterior nostril along lower edge of lip; Teeth in jaws and on vomer (roof of mouth) granular to molariform, but sharper on jaws and more pointed in young individuals multiserial; A small papilla on upper lip behind base of anterior nostril, a smaller one below eye; Throat swollen and supported by a basket of free brachiostegal rays that overlap below. Vertical fins discontinuous posteriorly, the extreme tip of tail stiff and finless; Dorsal fin oriqinating about a pectoral fin length behind tips of pectoral fins which are well developed; Pelvic fins absent. Lateral line system inconspicuous. Max. length: 100.0 cm TL, common length: 70.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 10 m.
Color
Body brown dorsally, yellow ventrally; Head and chin brown; Throat and all fins yellow.
Body brown dorsally, yellow ventrally; Head and chin brown; Throat and all fins yellow.
Etymology
Pisodonophis: from Greek, pisos = pea + from Greek, odous = teeth + from Greek, ophis = snake. Referring to granular, pea-shaped teeth and for it's snake-like appearance.
boro: Bengali vernacular for this eel. In the past, a variety of rice cultivated in small pockets in river beds of Ganges - India.
Original description: Ophisurus boro Hamilton, 1822 - Type locality: Estuaries of the Ganges near Calcutta - India.
Distribution
Indian Ocean: north-eastern coast of India.
Pisodonophis: from Greek, pisos = pea + from Greek, odous = teeth + from Greek, ophis = snake. Referring to granular, pea-shaped teeth and for it's snake-like appearance.
boro: Bengali vernacular for this eel. In the past, a variety of rice cultivated in small pockets in river beds of Ganges - India.
Original description: Ophisurus boro Hamilton, 1822 - Type locality: Estuaries of the Ganges near Calcutta - India.
Distribution
Indian Ocean: north-eastern coast of India.
Specimens from other parts of the Indo-West Pacific are probably different species: Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa, Seychelles and Madagascar east to Society Islands (French Polynesia), north to Kyushu (southern Japan), south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Found in lagoons and estuaries, entering freshwater and paddy fields. Common in tidal reaches and nearby upstream areas of coastal rivers. Lives in holes in the river bottom and bank and actively forages for small fishes at night. Reported to spawn in rice-paddies during the rainy season. Caught in bag nets and similar gear. Marketed fresh. The rice-paddy eel is of minor commercial interest to fisherie. Its diet consists of bony fish and crabs.
Similar species
Ophichthus altipennis (Kaup, 1856) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Ophichthus zophistius (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) - Reported from Northwestern Pacific: China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and one specimen pelagic in central northwestern Pacific Ocean at 28°21.5’N 135°01.7’E.
Pisodonophis cancrivorus (Richardson, 1848) - Reported from Red Sea; Indo-West Pacific: Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa, Mayotte (France), Madagascar and western Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius), east to French Polynesia, north to Korea and Japan, south to Australia (Northern Territory and Queensland).
Ophichthus sangjuensis (Ji & Kim, 2011) - Reported from Eastern Indian Ocean, northwestern Pacific: West Bengal (India); southern Korea and Japan. Depth range: 2 - 40 m.
Biology
Found in lagoons and estuaries, entering freshwater and paddy fields. Common in tidal reaches and nearby upstream areas of coastal rivers. Lives in holes in the river bottom and bank and actively forages for small fishes at night. Reported to spawn in rice-paddies during the rainy season. Caught in bag nets and similar gear. Marketed fresh. The rice-paddy eel is of minor commercial interest to fisherie. Its diet consists of bony fish and crabs.
Similar species
Ophichthus altipennis (Kaup, 1856) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Ophichthus zophistius (Jordan & Snyder, 1901) - Reported from Northwestern Pacific: China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and one specimen pelagic in central northwestern Pacific Ocean at 28°21.5’N 135°01.7’E.
Pisodonophis cancrivorus (Richardson, 1848) - Reported from Red Sea; Indo-West Pacific: Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa, Mayotte (France), Madagascar and western Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius), east to French Polynesia, north to Korea and Japan, south to Australia (Northern Territory and Queensland).
Ophichthus sangjuensis (Ji & Kim, 2011) - Reported from Eastern Indian Ocean, northwestern Pacific: West Bengal (India); southern Korea and Japan. Depth range: 2 - 40 m.
Last update: 30, May 2024