Hawaiian Fishes 



57 



Snipe Eel 



32-4 Stemonidium hypomelas Gilbert 



Drawn from Gilbert 



The body of this eel is long and slender and tapers from its middle 

 toward the tail and neck. The head is slightly larger than the neck and 

 contains long, slender jaws. The upper half of the body is grayish in 

 color and covered with fine black specks. The head and the tail are 

 entirely black. 



The only specimen known was taken in a dredge near Niihau between 

 537 and 672 fathoms. 



THE SNAKE EEL FAMILY 



33 Family Ophichthyidae 



The family of the snake eels contains about 100 species. They are 

 easily recognized by the fact that they have no caudal fin. In these fishes 

 the tail projects beyond the dorsal and anal fin to end in a firm point. 

 These eels are brightly colored and superficially resemble snakes. They 

 have no scales on their bodies. 



All of the members of the family are of small or moderate size. They 

 are abundant about coral reefs in all tropical seas. 



Of more than 100 known species, seven are recorded from Hawaiian 

 waters. 



Snake Eel 



33-1 Stethopterus semicinctus (Lay & Bennett) 

 This snake eel has a slender, fairly-rounded body and tapers to a tail 

 which ends in a conical horny point. The tip of the snout and the tail 

 are white, while the remainder of the body shades into a yellowish brown. 

 The body is crossed by from 24 to 27 deep brown, broad cross bands which 

 are placed saddle fashion on the body. The creature measures about 

 eighteen inches in length. 



