Indian longtailed sand-eel explained

The Indian longtailed sand-eel^[1] (Bascanichthys deraniyagalai) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).^[2] It was described by Ambat Gopalan Kutty Menon in 1961.^[3] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Pacific and Indian Ocean, including India and Sri Lanka. It inhabits river mouths and lagoons. Males can reach a maximum total length of 60cm (20inches).^[2]

The Indian longtailed sand-eel is of no commercial interest to fisheries.^[2]

Notes and References

1. http://www.fishbase.org/comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=23862&GenusName=Bascanichthys&SpeciesName=deraniyagalai&StockCode=18971 Common names of Bascanichthys deraniyagalai
2. http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Bascanichthys-deraniyagalai.html Bascanichthys deraniyagalai
3. Menon, A. G. K., 1961 (Mar. (publ. Sept.)) [ref. 9366] Bascanichthys deraniyagalai, a new eel from the Coromandel coast of India with a key to the Indian Ophichthyidae. Journal of the Zoological Society of India v. 13 (no. 1): 13-15.