king snake eel
Ophichthus rex
A very large eel from the northern Gulf of Mexico, caught on line, often near oil platforms.
Also called: enguia-cobra-rei, lairón, king snake eel
- maximum
- 211 cm
- record/max.
- 23.6 kg
who is the king snake eel
An eel of the family Ophichthidae that gets very large: it reaches 211 cm and up to 23.6 kg. It lives in waters far from shore, 15 to 365 m deep, and is common around oil platforms. Its body is marked by dark, saddle-shaped bands along the back. It lays eggs. It has no commercial interest, but for anglers fishing with line in the Gulf of Mexico it is a species of interest, often caught near the platforms.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the king snake eel; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Very long, cylindrical body, with dark saddle-shaped bands along the back, olive brown. The dorsal fin begins well behind the tip of the pectoral fin. The dorsal and anal fins have stripes at the base, and the pectoral fin is darker in its upper half. Given its size and saddle bands, it is not confused with the cutuca (Myrophis punctatus), which lives in the same gulf and is much smaller.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It lives in the northern Gulf of Mexico, from Florida to Texas in the United States, and is also known in Mexico.
Habitat: Bottoms of waters far from shore, 15 to 365 m deep, often near oil platforms.
rules for the king snake eel
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is not venomous, but it is large and has teeth. Hold it behind the head, with a glove or cloth, and release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00093, b = 2.99; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Ophichthus rex (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Ophichthus rexNames by country and language.
