Stargazer Snake Eel
Brachysomophis cirrocheilos
- Usual depth2–39 m
- Water temperature25–29 °C
- Best monthsApril, June, and July
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
Brachysomophis cirrocheilos, also known as the stargazer snake eel, is a benthic marine fish belonging to the family Ophichthidae. The stargazer snake eel is a large fish which grows up to 159 cm (63 in) long.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Brachysomophis cirrocheilos”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 6 records
- February: 2 records
- March: 3 records
- April: 8 records
- May: 7 records
- June: 11 records
- July: 8 records
- August: 7 records
- September: 8 records
- October: 2 records
- November: 4 records
- December: 5 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 2–39 m · Deepest record: 38.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 25–29 °C
Photos
(c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist 
(c) Dan Schofield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Stargazer Snake Eel, Stargazer snakemoray
Names in 3 more languages
- Spanish
- Tieso astrónomo
- Japanese
- Moyotatsuumihebi, モヨウタツウミへビ, モヨウタツウミヘビ
- Simplified Chinese
- 大口短體蛇鰻, 大口蛇鰻, 硬骨仔, 硬骨篡, 篡仔, 鬚唇短體蛇鰻, 鬚唇短體鰻, 鰻仔, 龍鰻
Other scientific names: Brachysomorphis cirrhocheilos, Ophichthys cirrochilus, Ophisurus cirrocheilos
Similar species
- Saddled snake-eel
Leiuranus semicinctus
- Harlequin snake-eel
Myrichthys colubrinus
- Tiger snake-eel
Myrichthys maculosus
Marbled snake eelCallechelys marmorata
- Smalleye Snake Eel
Allips concolor
- Orange Snake Eel
Apterichtus flavicaudus
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 36 open-data records from 1857 to 2000.
- Species data updated October 26, 2026.
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