Kingdom Animalia Family Ophichthidae Genus Echelus Order Eel | Class Actinopterygii Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
Similar Eel, Armless snake eel, European finless eel, Serpent eel, Slender finless eel | ||
The Painted eel (Echelus myrus) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally under the genus Muraena. It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Bay of Biscay, the Republic of Congo, and the Mediterranean. It dwells at a depth range of 3 to 12 metres (9.8 to 39.4 ft), and inhabits burrows formed in sand and mud sediments in coastal lagoons and estuaries. Males can reach a maximum total length of 100 centimetres (39 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 60 centimetres (24 in).
The Painted eel is of minor commercial interest to fisheries. It has been recorded spawning in the Bay of Algiers during the months of August and September.