Species Myrichthys colubrinus (Boddaert, 1781)
Harlequin Snake Eel, Harlequin Snake-eel
- Muraena colubrina Boddaert, P. 1781. Beschreibung zweier merkwürdiger Fische (Sparus palpebratus und Muraena colubrina). Neue Nordische Beiträge (Pallas) 1781: 55-57 pl. 2 [not seen] [56, pl. 2(2)].
Type data:
Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, Ambon Island (as Amboina), Indonesia
Comment: Fricke 1999 designated a neotype but this was invalid. (Fricke, R. 1999. Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez). An annotated checklist with descriptions of new species. Koeltz Scientific Books. Fishes of the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius, Rodriguez). An annotated checklist with descriptions of new species.: i-viii + 1-759. [65]). - Ophisurus fasciatus semicincta Bleeker, P. 1864. Atlas Ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Néerlandaises, publié sous les auspices du Gouvernement colonial néerlandais. Tome 4. Murènes, Symbranches, Leptocéphales. Amsterdam : Fréd. Müller 132 pp. pls 145-193. [64] [proposed as a new variety; a primary homonym of Ophisurus semicinctus Lay & Bennett, 1839; replaced by Myrichthys bleekeri Gosline, 1951.].
Type data:
Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, "Seas of Indian Archipelago and Indian and Polynesian Ocean" (Indonesia). - Myrichthys bleekeri Gosline, W.A. 1951. The osteology and classification of the ophichthid eels of the Hawaiian Islands. Pacific Science 5(4): 298-320 figs 1-18 [314] [nom. nov. for Ophisurus fasciatus var. semicincta Bleeker, 1864. Was considered valid as Myrichthys bleekeri under the CAAB code 37068024].
- Ophichthys elapsoides Castelnau, F.L. de 1875. Researches on the fishes of Australia. Intercolonial Exhibition Essays. 2. pp. 1–52 in, Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876 : Official Record. Melbourne. [47].
Type data:
Status unknown, whereabouts unknown (not at MNHP), Cape York, QLD.
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- McCosker, J.E. & Rosenblatt, R.H. 1993. A revision of the snake eel genus Myrichthys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) with the description of a new eastern Pacific species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 48(8): 153-169 [157]
Generic Combinations
- Myrichthys colubrinus (Boddaert, 1781). —
Weber, M. & de Beaufort, L.F. 1916. The Fishes of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Ostariophysi: II. Cyprinoidea, Apodes, Synbranchi. Leiden : Brill Vol. 3 455 pp. 214 figs. [286] (changed combination cited) - Chlevastes colubrinus (Boddaert, 1781). —
Jordan, D.S. & Snyder, J.O. 1901. A review of the apodal fishes or eels of Japan, with descriptions of nineteen new species. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 23(1239): 837-890 [867] (changed combination as type species of the genus Chlevastes) - Chlevastes elapsoides (Castelnau, 1875). —
Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [36] (377, changed combination cited) - Myrichthys semicinctus (Bleeker, 1864). —
Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2 [23] (changed combination cited)
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Houtman Abrolhos Islands (28°53´S, 114°00'E) to Monte Bello Islands (20°28'S, 115°33'), WA, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean, and Mer (Murray) Island, QLD (9°55'S, 144°05'E) to Julian Rocks, NSW (28°38´S), also Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, possibly continuous across northern Australia; tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific.
IMCRA
Lord Howe Province (14), Cape Province (20), Cocos (Keeling) Island Province (22), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)
Distribution References
- Allen, G.R. 2000. Fishes of the Montebello Islands. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 59: 47-57 [49]
- Choat, J.H., van Herwerden, L., Robbins, W.D., Hobbs, J.P. & Ayling, A.M. 2006. A report on the ecological surveys undertaken at Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs, February 2006. Report by James Cook University to the Department of the Environment and Heritage. 65 pp. [51]
- Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S .J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands: new records, community composition and biogeographic significance. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 203–219 [208]
- Hutchins, J.B. 1997. Checklist of fishes of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. pp. 239-253 in Wells, F. (ed.). The Marine Fauna and Flora of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum. [244]
- Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3) [308]
- Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293 [27] (based on literature references, no known records from NT)
- Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2 [23] (as Myrichthys semicincta)
Ecological Descriptors
Burrower, coral reef, inshore, sand bottom marine.
Extra Ecological Information
1-50 m
General References
Fricke, R., Kulbicki, M. & Wantiez, L. 2011. Checklist of the fishes of New Caledonia, and their distribution in the Southwest Pacific Ocean (Pisces). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) Neue Serie 4: 341-463 [352]
Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Checklist of the fishes of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 63: 9-50 [17]
McCosker, J.E. 1977. The osteology, classification, and relationships of the eel family Ophichthidae. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 41(1): 1-123 figs 1-45 [78] (as Myrichthys bleekeri and Myrichthys colubrinus)
McCosker, J.E., Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Gates, J.E. & Bray, D.J. 2006. Ophichthidae. pp. 264-277 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [270]
McCosker, J.E. & Castle, P.H.J. 1986. Family No. 42: Ophichthidae. pp. 176-186 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls. [181]
McCosker, J.E. & Rosenblatt, R.H. 1993. A revision of the snake eel genus Myrichthys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae) with the description of a new eastern Pacific species. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 48(8): 153-169 [157]
Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 [published as separates 1956–1961] [48] (340)
Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. [118] (as Myrichthys colubrinus and Myrichthys bleekeri and with Ophichthys elapsoides as a possible synonym of Myrichthys colubrinus)
Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [36] (376 as Chlevastes colubrinus, and 377 as Chlevastes elapsoides)
Common Name References
Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. [56] (Harlequin Snake-eel)
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs. [45] (Harlequin Snake Eel)
Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Harlequin Snake Eel)
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Standard names of Australian fishes. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 9: 1-64 [19] (Harlequin Snake Eel)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05-Mar-2019 | ELOPOMORPHA | 13-Aug-2018 | MODIFIED | Dr Doug Hoese (AM) |
| 24-Sep-2011 | ANGUILLIFORMES | 24-Sep-2011 | MOVED | Dr Dianne Bray |
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |