Ophichthus kunaloa McCosker 1979

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 : 25

Ophichthus kunaloa McCosker 1979

Ophichthus kunaloa McCosker 1979: 61 (type locality Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, holotype CAS 29136)

Diagnosis. A moderately elongate species of Ophichthus , subgenus Coecilophis , with: tail 59–60%, head 9.6– 10.1%, and body depth at gill opening 3.2–3.7% of TL; dorsal-fin origin above mid pectoral fin; pectoral fin elongate, but not filamentous; posterior margin or orbit in advance of rictus; posterior nostril a hole above the upper lip, covered by a flap; lip barbels absent; cephalic pores small but conspicuous, SO 1+4, IO 4+2, POM 2+5; teeth small and conical, biserial on anterior vomer and jaws; coloration uniform gray brown, lighter ventrally, all fins pale except anal which has a dark patch at posterior base; MVF 15-66-182, total vertebrae 180–185 (n=5).

Size. To 473 mm, specimen eviscerated, sex undeterminable.

Distribution. Known from Oahu and Hawaii, Hawaiian Islands, trapped at 350– 475 m.

Remarks. The second known capture of this species was reported by McCosker (2002). The holotype of O. kunaloa has 14/66/185 vertebrae.

Material examined. CAS 29136, 440 mm, female with maturing ova, SE of Barber's Point, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, 350 m; paratypes BPBM 21086, 473 mm, and USNM 218274, a partially eaten specimen, both collected with the holotype. Other material examined: CAS 47991, 2(383–423 mm) and BPBM 28120, 402 mm, NE of Hilo, Hawaii.