Ahlia egmontis
Key Worm Eel
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Anguilliformes (True Eels)
Ophichthidae (Snake Eels)
Ahlia
Ahlia egmontis (Key Worm Eel)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
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Characters
Moderately elongate and laterally compressed, with well-developed pectoral fin and caudal fin, and dorsal fin originating above or behind anus. Snout is broad and subconical and overhangs lower jaw. Anterior nostril is tubular, with lateral interior projection. Posterior nostril is located along edge of lip, beneath flap, and opens into mouth. Jaw teeth are small, conical, and recurved, with 11 to 25 on upper jaw and 12 to 19 on lower jaw. Intermaxillary teeth consist of outer circle of 6 to 9 stout teeth and several smaller inner teeth. Vomerine teeth are absent. Gill openings are constricted, shorter than length of pectoral fin base, and crescent shaped. Infraorbital pores number six, supraorbital pores number five, and supratemporal pores number three. Snout is 17% to 21%, eye is 5.6% to 7.7%, and mouth length is 23% to 30% of head length. Head length is 7.9% to 10%, predorsal length is 44% to 49%, trunk length is 33% to 36%, and depth behind gill openings is 1.8% to 3.7% of TL. Total vertebrae number 155 to 167, predorsal vertebrae number 65 to 72, and preanal vertebrae number 60 to 66.
Color is pale to tan, with scattered melanophores dorsally. Mature males are darker, especially on tail, fins, and branchial area, with reddish brown nuchal band.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from North Carolina to the Guianas, including Bermuda, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and the West Indies.
Habitat Associations
Near shore to 37 m, including eel-grass beds and sandy bottoms around coral reefs.
Eel-grass beds and sandy bottoms around coral reefs.
Biology
Maximum known size is 433 mm TL.
Males mature between 142 and 343 mm TL, and females mature between 276 and 387 mm TL.
Inhabits seagrass beds from bays and mangroves to offshore reefs. Adults move to open sea to spawn.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-08-15. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described.
References
Hoese and Moore 1977
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
McCosker et al. 1989
Leiby 1989
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm (1998) Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Volume 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. University of Texas Press, Austin. 1112p.
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