Fringelip snake-eel
Cirrhimuraena playfairii
- Usual depth450 m
- Water temperature24–29 °C
- Best monthsJuly
- How commonRare
About this species
The fringelip snake-eel is an eel in the family Ophichthidae. It was described by Albert Günther in 1870. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kosi Bay, South Africa, and the Hawaiian Islands. Its lifestyle is mostly benthic but it sometimes swims at the surface. It is olive brown in colour, with lighter colouring in the ventral region. Males can reach a maximum total length of 39 centimetres (15 in).
Text from the Wikipedia article “Fringelip snake-eel”, 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: 1 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 1 records
- May: 0 records
- June: 1 records
- July: 2 records
- August: 0 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 0 records
- November: 1 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 450 m · Deepest record: 450 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 24–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Fringelip snake-eel, fringelip snake-eel
Names in 1 more languages
- Japanese
- Shokiumihebi, ショウキウミヘビ
Other scientific names: Jenkinsiella playfairi, Jenkinsiella playfairii, Microdonophis macgregori, Ophichthys arenicola, Ophichthys playfairii
Similar species
- Fringed-lipped Snake-eel
Cirrhimuraena calamus
Saddled snake-eelLeiuranus semicinctus
Harlequin snake-eelMyrichthys colubrinus
Tiger snake-eelMyrichthys maculosus
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).
- 22 open-data records from 1870 to 1979.
- Species data updated November 1, 2026.
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