Ophichthus genie McCosker 1999

E, John, 2010, Deepwater Indo-Pacific species of the snake-eel genus Ophichthus (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), with the description of nine new species, Zootaxa 2505, pp. 1-39 : 16

Ophichthus genie McCosker 1999

Ophichthus genie McCosker 1999: 577 (type locality New Caledonia, holotype MNHN 1998-43).

Diagnosis. A moderately elongate species of Ophichthus , subgenus Coecilophis , with: tail 55–58%, head 9.3– 10.1%, and depth at gill openings 2.4–3.2% of TL; dorsal-fin origin before pectoral tips; pectoral fins elongate, lanceolate; posterior margin of orbit in advance of rictus; cephalic pores very reduced but discernible, SO 4+1, IO 4+2, POM 2+6–7; teeth small, conical, biserial in jaws and uniserial on vomer; coloration pale, overlain on dorsal half with fine brown punctations, fins pale; mean vertebral formula 14/57/ 142, total vertebrae 139–147 (n=6).

Size. To 337 mm, a female with developing ova.

Distribution. Known from New Caledonia and the Maldives, at 435– 500 m.

Remarks. The holotype of O. genie has 14/59/142 vertebrae.

Material examined. MNHN 1998-43, the holotype, 230 mm, New Caledonia (18o57'00 S, 163o12'60 E), 485 m. And paratypes: MNHN 1998-44, 217 mm, CAS 89551, 232 mm, and ANSP 174853, 206 mm, from New Caledonia (18o57'80 S, 163o14'00 E), 435 m; MNHN 1998-45, 196 mm, New Caledonia (18o55'80 S, 163o13'80 E), 500 m; BPBM 34923, 337 mm, Maldive Islands (04o19' N, 72o55' E), 215 m.