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INTRODUCTION
The snake eel and worm eel family Ophichthidae (Anguilliformes: Pisces) comprises 16 genera and 24 species in Indian waters (Talwar, 1991; Remadevi & Ravichandran, 1997; Castle & McCosker, 1999). The subfamily Ophichthinae (snake eels) is characterized by a typical finless hard pointed tail-tip. Ten genera of this subfamily are known to inhabit the Indian coast. During the study of the ichthyofaunal diversity of the Kalpakkam coast, the authors came across an interesting snake eel belonging to a different genus hitherto not reported from the Indian coast. Seven specimens were collected from the cooling water system of the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) located near Kalpakkam, east coast of India (12°33[variant prime]N 80°11[variant prime]E) during July 2008. The cooling water is drawn through a tunnel located 50 m below the seabed and screens are located at the intake for preventing entry of macro-organisms into the cooling system. One specimen was preserved for characterization. The specimen was deposited with the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata (Catalogue no. F-10574/2, 1 ex., 1020 mm TL).
The specimen exhibited a combination of characters, viz., hard, pointed tail-tip with dorsal and anal fins ending before tail-tip; well developed pectoral fins; both upper and lower lip fringed with a series of small barbels (cirri); canine-like teeth on jaws and vomer; dorsal fin begins well behind pectoral fin tip and tail about half of total length. The above morphometric and meristic characters of this specimen agree well with Smith & McCosker (1999) and McCosker & Randall (2001), and hence assigned to the genus Brachysomophis Kaup, 1856. The species was identified as Brachysomophis cirrocheilos (Bleeker, 1857), the stargazer snake eel (Figure 1A, B) based on the description below with measurements given in parentheses.
Fig. 1.
(A) Brachysomophis cirrocheilos (Bleeker), entire fish (dorsal view); (B) ventral view of B. cirrocheilos (Bleeker).
DESCRIPTION
This eel has a moderately robust, elongated snake-like body. Body is scaleless; triangular in cross-section at trunk region while round...