Myrichthys breviceps

{{Short description|Species of fish}}

{{speciesbox

| image = Sharptail_Eel.jpg

| image_caption =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=McCosker, J. |author-link=John E. McCosker |year=2015 |title=Myrichthys breviceps |page=e.T199029A2551596 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T199029A2551596.en |access-date=13 November 2024}}

| taxon = Myrichthys breviceps

| authority = (J. Richardson, 1848)

| synonyms = {{Specieslist

| Ophisurus breviceps | Richardson, 1848

| Muraena acuminata | Gronow, 1854

| Myrichthys acuminatus | (Gronow, 1854)

| Pisodonophis guttulatus | Kaup, 1856

| Ophisurus longus | Poey, 1867

| Ophichthys pisavarius | Poey, 1876

| Leptocephalus undulatus | Strömman, 1896

}}

| synonyms_ref = {{FishBase|Myrichthys|breviceps|month=June|year=2024}}

}}

Myrichthys breviceps, the sharptail snake-eel, is a fish species native to the Western Atlantic.

It has diffuse, yellow spots on a blueish-gray back and white belly. Spots are small on the head, and larger on the body. The eel can be found along the coasts of the Caribbean sea, mainly on sea grass beds, reefs, and in clear waters. Despite being nocturnal, they can also be seen foraging during daylight. Their food source is small invertebrates like crabs.

They allow close approach by divers and can easily be photographed, but buried in the sand when bothered.{{cite book|author=Humann, P. |author2= Deloach, N.|title= Reef fish identification Florida Caribbean Bahamas, |location=Jacksonville (Fl.)|publisher= New World Publications|edition= 3rd Printing|year= 2006}}

File:sharptail eel.jpg

File:Close-up_of_sharptail_eel.jpg