Korean Snake Eel

This species is characterized by the following: origin of dorsal-fin above middle of the pectoral fin; rounded pectoral fin, not elongated, 2.6-3.5 times in head length (HL); slightly acute snout, 4.9-6.5 times in HL; upper jaw slightly longer than lower jaw, 3.4-3.7 times in HL; fleshy protrusions present before and behind the posterior nostril; minute and inconspicuous cephalic-sensory pores; supraorbital pores 1+4, infraorbital pores 4+2, preoperculomandibular pores 3+5, supratemporal pores 1+4; conical and pointed teeth in a regular row on both jaws, 2 regular rows anteriorly but 2-3 irregular rows posteriorly on vomer; prevomerine and vomerine teeth slightly separated from each other; mean vertebral formula 14/50/147: 13-14 before dorsal fin, 48-51 before anal fin, 143-153 in total (Ref. 86398).

Vertebrae: 143 - 153

Burrows into sandy, muddy substrate using its hard pointed tail (Ref. 86398).

The Korean snake eel (Pisodonophis sangjuensis) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Hwan-Sung Ji and Jin-Koo Kim in 2011. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from Korea, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 5 to 110 meters (16 to 361 ft), and uses its hard, pointed tail to form burrows in sand and mud sediments. Females can reach a maximum total length of 60.1 centimeters (23.7 in).

The species epithet "sangjuensis" refers to the Korean snake eel's type locality, in Sangju.