Napoleon snake eel
(Ophichthus bonaparti)
General data
Scientific names:
Napoleon snake eel
Local names:
Napoleon eel, Purplebanded snake eel, Saddled snake-eel
Habitat:
Saltwater
Climate:
Tropical
The Napoleon snake eel (Ophichthus bonaparti, also known as the Napoleon eel, the Purplebanded snake eel, or the Saddled snake-eel) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including Durban, South Africa, Mauritius, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, and the Penghu Islands.
It is known to dwell at a depth of 20 metres (66 ft), and inhabits lagoons and reefs; it forms solitary burrows in sand sediments.
Males can reach a maximum total length of 75 centimetres (30 in).
The fish is named in honor of biologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte (1803-1857), who supplied the type specimen.
