| Habitat | Reproduction |
| Behavior | Diver Interaction |

Scott Michael Photo

Alternate Common Names:
onebanded snake eel

Family Name:
OPHICHTHIDAE
Click Name for Family Profile

Size:
80 cm (31.5 inches)

Distribution:
East Indies to the Society Islands, north to the Marianas, south to Queensland

Habitat:
The blacksaddle snake eel occurs on or near coastal reefs, where it inhabits reef crevices, holes between large rocks and coral rubble, or it buries in the sand. It occurs at depths of 8 to 26 m (26 to 85 feet).

Reproduction:

Feeding:
The blacksaddle snake eel is sometimes observed feeding in the open at night and might also eat fishes and crustaceans that share its daytime shelter sites.

Behavior:
Although they are usually solitary animals - I have seen two of these snake eels within 1 m (3.3 feet) of each other. Initial observations also suggest they may remain in the same area for days or even weeks

Diver Interaction:
This eel is usually observed with its head sticking out of a crevice or hole. If it is approached slowly it will usually not retreat into its refuge. They may be observed in the open at night and will usually swim off rapidly at the approach of a dive light

Best Places to See:
Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia

Distinguishing Characteristics:
This eel has a gray or black head, a black saddle behind the eyes surrounded by a white area, which extends from behind the jaw to the end of the pectoral fin, while the rest of the body is brown shading to white ventrally. The dorsal and anal fins are white-edged with a black submarginal line and the lateral line pores appear as black dots.

Remarks: