''Ophichthys'' is a genus of

swamp eel The swamp eels (also written "swamp-eels") are a family (biology), family (Synbranchidae) of freshwater eel-like fishes of the tropics and subtropics. Most species are able to breathe air and typically live in marshes, ponds and damp places, som ...

s native to

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

. They live in

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term excludes seawater and brackish water, but it does include non-salty mi ...

subterranean Subterranean(s) or The Subterranean(s) may refer to: * Subterranea (geography), underground structures, both natural and man-made Literature * ''Subterranean'' (novel), a 1998 novel by James Rollins * ''Subterranean Magazine'', an American fa ...

habitats, and some have a

fossorial A fossorial animal () is one that is adapted to digging and which lives primarily (but not solely) underground. Examples of fossorial vertebrates are Mole (animal), moles, badgers, naked mole-rats, meerkats, armadillos, wombats, and mole salamand ...

lifestyle.

Taxonomy

All species in this genus were formerly classified in ''

Monopterus ''Monopterus'' is a genus of swamp eels native to Asia. They live in various freshwater habitats and some have a fossorial lifestyle.Britz, R., Doherty-Bone, T.M., Kouete, M.T., Sykes, D. & Gower, D.J. (2016)''Monopterus luticolus'', a new specie ...

'', but a 2020 study found them to represent a distinct

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

clade from ''Monopterus''. Due to this, the genus name ''Ophichthys'', previously coined by

William Swainson William Swainson Fellow of the Linnean Society, FLS, Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (8 October 1789 – 6 December 1855), was an English ornithologist, Malacology, malacologist, Conchology, conchologist, entomologist and artist. Life Swains ...

, was revived to be used for them. ''Ophichthys'' was formerly a

wastebasket taxon Wastebasket taxon (also called a wastebin taxon, dustbin taxon or catch-all taxon) is a term used by some taxonomists to refer to a taxon that has the purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined by e ...

used to lump in many unrelated species of

eel Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 families, 164 genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...

-like fish (all of which are classified in separate genera today) and later synonymized with ''Monopterus'' until its resurrection.

Species

* ''

Ophichthys cuchia ''Ophichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in Fresh water, freshwater or Subterranean fauna, subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle. Taxonomy All species in this genus were formerly classified ...

'' ( F. Hamilton, 1822) (Gangetic swamp eel or Gangetic mud-eel) * ''

Ophichthys desilvai ''Ophichthys desilvai'' (lesser swamp eel or Desilvai's blind eel) is a commercially important, air-breathing species of fish in the family Synbranchidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka and is the only endemic synbranchid from there. Etymology The ...

'' ( R. M. Bailey & Gans, 1998) (lesser swamp eel or Desilvai's blind eel) * ''

Ophichthys fossorius ''Ophichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in freshwater or subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle. Taxonomy All species in this genus were formerly classified in ''Monopterus'', but a 2020 stu ...

'' ( K. K. Nayar, 1951) (Malabar swampeel) *''

Ophichthys hodgarti ''Ophichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in freshwater or subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle. Taxonomy All species in this genus were formerly classified in ''Monopterus'', but a 2020 stu ...

'' (

B. L. Chaudhuri B is the second letter of the Latin alphabet. B may also refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Astronomy * Astronomical objects in the Barnard list of dark nebulae (abbreviation B) * Latitude (''b'') in the galactic coordinate system ...

, 1913) (Indian spaghetti-eel) * ''

Ophichthys ichthyophoides ''Ophichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in freshwater or subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle. Taxonomy All species in this genus were formerly classified in ''Monopterus'', but a 2020 stu ...

'' (

Britz Britz () is a German locality (''Ortsteil'') within the Berlin borough (''Bezirk'') of Neukölln. History The village of ''Britzig'' was first mentioned in 1273. It was incorporated by the 1920 Greater Berlin Act. It is known for being the sit ...

, Lalremsanga, Lalrotluanga & Lalramliana, 2011) (scaled swamp eel)Britz, R., Lalremsanga, H.T., Lalrotluanga & Lalramliana (2011)
''Monopterus ichthyophoides'', a new species of scaled swamp eel (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from Mizoram, India.
''Zootaxa, 2936: 51–58.'' * ''

Ophichthys indicus The Bombay swamp eel (''Ophichthys indicus''), also known as the paytop in Marathi, is a species of fish in the family Synbranchidae. It is endemic to the state of Maharashtra in India. Taxonomy It was at first classified in the genus ''Amphip ...

'' (

Silas Silas or Silvanus (; Greek: Σίλας/Σιλουανός; fl. 1st century AD) was a leading member of the Early Christian community, who according to the New Testament accompanied Paul the Apostle on his second missionary journey. Name and ...

& E. Dawson, 1961) (Bombay swamp eel) * ''

Ophichthys terricolus ''Ophichthys'' is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in freshwater or subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle. Taxonomy All species in this genus were formerly classified in ''Monopterus'', but a 2020 stu ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q28753738 Ophichthys Freshwater fish genera Synbranchidae Taxa named by William Swainson