Ophichthys
{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}
{{Distinguish|Ophichthus}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Monopterus cuchia Day.jpg
| image_caption = Ophichthys cuchia
| taxon = Ophichthys
| authority = Swainson, 1839
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}
Ophichthys is a genus of swamp eels native to South Asia. They live in freshwater or subterranean habitats, and some have a fossorial lifestyle.{{Cite web|title=Ophichthys desilvai, a poorly known synbranchid eel from Sri Lanka (Teleostei: Synbranchidae)|url=https://pfeil-verlag.de/publikationen/ophichthys-desilvai-a-poorly-known-synbranchid-eel-from-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-01-29|website=Pfeil Verlag|language=de-DE}}
Taxonomy
All species in this genus were formerly classified in Monopterus, but a 2020 study found them to represent a distinct monophyletic clade from Monopterus. Due to this, the genus name Ophichthys, previously coined by William Swainson, was revived to be used for them.{{Cite web|title=Taxonomy browser (Ophichthys)|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Tree&id=2793284&lvl=3&p=has_linkout&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock|access-date=2021-01-29|website=www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov}} Ophichthys was formerly a wastebasket taxon used to lump in many unrelated species of eel-like fish (all of which are classified in separate genera today) and later synonymized with Monopterus until its resurrection.{{Cite web|title=WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Ophichthys Swainson, 1839|url=http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=206770|access-date=2021-01-29|website=www.marinespecies.org}}
Species
- Ophichthys cuchia (F. Hamilton, 1822) (Gangetic swamp eel or Gangetic mud-eel){{Cite journal|last=Verma|first=Chandani R.|last2=Gorule|first2=Pankaj A.|last3=Kumkar|first3=Pradeep|last4=Kharat|first4=Sanjay S.|last5=Gosavi|first5=Sachin M.|date=October 2020|title=Morpho-histochemical adaptations of the digestive tract in Gangetic mud-eel Ophichthys cuchia (Hamilton 1822) support utilization of mud-dwelling prey|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33066830/|journal=Acta Histochemica|volume=122|issue=7|pages=151602|doi=10.1016/j.acthis.2020.151602|issn=1618-0372|pmid=33066830|doi-access=}}
- Ophichthys desilvai (R. M. Bailey & Gans, 1998) (lesser swamp eel or Desilvai's blind eel)
- Ophichthys fossorius (K. K. Nayar, 1951) (Malabar swampeel)
- Ophichthys hodgarti (B. L. Chaudhuri, 1913) (Indian spaghetti-eel){{Cite web|date=2019-06-06|title=Order SYNBRANCHIFORMES: Families SYNBRANCHIDAE, CHAUDHURIIDAE, MASTACEMBELIDAE and INDOSTOMIDAE|url=https://www.etyfish.org/synbranchiformes/|access-date=2021-01-29|website=The ETYFish Project|language=en-US}}
- Ophichthys ichthyophoides (Britz, Lalremsanga, Lalrotluanga & Lalramliana, 2011) (scaled swamp eel)Britz, R., Lalremsanga, H.T., Lalrotluanga & Lalramliana (2011): [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z02936p058f.pdf Monopterus ichthyophoides, a new species of scaled swamp eel (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from Mizoram, India.] Zootaxa, 2936: 51–58.
- Ophichthys indicus (Silas & E. Dawson, 1961) (Bombay swamp eel)
- Ophichthys terricolus