The king snake eel[1] (Ophichthus rex) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).[2] It was described by James Erwin Böhlke and John H. Caruso in 1980.[3] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from Florida to Texas, USA, in the northern Gulf of Mexico in the western Atlantic Ocean. It dwells at a depth range of 15to, and inhabits offshore waters. Males can reach a maximum total length of 211abbr=NaNabbr=; the maximum recorded weight is 23.6kg (52lb).[2] caught by Patrick Lemire on the Texsun II out of Galveston, Texas in 1997.
The King snake eel is often caught near oil platforms by anglers.[2]