Myrichthys colubrinus, the banded snake eel, ringed snake eel or harlequin snake eel, is a snake eel from the Indo-Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 97 cm (38 in) in length.[1]
The ringed snake eel resembles the venomous sea snake, Laticauda colubrina which is a form of Batesian mimicry.[2] It also adjusts its behaviour to swim freely during the day, whereas other snake eels tend to stay hidden and roam at night.
In 2021, it was first recorded in Hawaii.[3]
^Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2008). "Myrichthys colubrinus" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
^Randall, J. E. (2005). A review of mimicry in marine fishes. Zoological Studies, 44(3), 299–328.
Myrichthyscolubrinus, the banded snake eel, ringed snake eel or harlequin snake eel, is a snake eel from the Indo-Pacific. It occasionally makes its...
(scorpionfishes). Another example of Batesian mimicry is the ringed snake eel (Myrichthyscolubrinus) that mimics the venomous sea snake Laticauda colubrina. An example...
Image Taxonomy Reef safe Description Max size Banded snake eel Myrichthyscolubrinus No 97 cm (38.2 in) Banded eel Echidna polyzona No 69 cm (27.2 in)...
Islands) Harlequin snake eel Myrichthyscolubrinus (Boddaert, 1781) (Red Sea to the Society Islands) Spotted snake eel Myrichthys maculosus (Cuvier, 1817)...
Global Information
