TAILIEUCHUNG - Records of species of the snake eels genus Ophichthus (family Ophichthidae) from Vietnam

The identification of most species relied on careful examination of their morphological characters. These findings collectively raised the Ophichthus genus’s representation in Vietnamese waters by introducing three previously undocumented species, raising the total count to 17 compared to prior research. Furthermore, this study provides a comprehensive key to aid in identifying the various Ophichthus species found in Vietnam. | Vietnam Journal of Marine Science and Technology 2024 24 1 55 68 1 Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Vietnam Journal of Marine Science and Technology journal homepage jmst Records of species of the snake eels genus Ophichthus family Ophichthidae from Vietnam Quang Van Vo1 Huans-Ching Ho2 3 Yusuke Hibino4 Thao Thu Thi Le1 Hoa Hong Thi Tran1 Thinh Cong Tran1 1 Institute of Oceanography VAST Vietnam 2 National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology University Rd. Yanchao Dist. Kaohsiung City 824005 Taiwan 3 Australia Museum Sydney Australia 4 Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History Kitakyushu Fukuoka 805-0071 Japan Received 12 June 2023 Accepted 6 August 2023 ABSTRACT In Vietnam the snake eel genus Ophichthus was previously comprised 14 distinct species. This research aims to document and visually represent three previously undocumented findings and a newly discovered species. The species Ophichthus bicolor and Ophichthus machidai are meticulously described here their characteristics based on five specimens each gathered at depths of approximately 100 180 m and 50 100 m respectively in the vicinity of Quy Nhon. Additionally Ophichthus obtusus is comprehensively described using 12 specimens collected from depths ranging from roughly 50 m to 120 m in the Quy Nhon Nha Trang and Vung Tau areas. The identification of most species relied on careful examination of their morphological characters. These findings collectively raised the Ophichthus genus s representation in Vietnamese waters by introducing three previously undocumented species raising the total count to 17 compared to prior research. Furthermore this study provides a comprehensive key to aid in identifying the various Ophichthus species found in Vietnam. Keywords Ichthyology systematic taxonomy biodiversity Ophichthidae. Corresponding author at Institute of Oceanography 01 Cau Da St. Nha Trang City 650000 Khanh Hoa Vietnam. E-mail addresses .

• Sinh học
• Ophichthus machidai
• Snake eels genus Ophichthus
• Ophichthus bicolor
• Ophichthus obtusus
• Ophichthus genus’s representation