| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Ophididae | Ophidion holbrooki | Putnam | 1874 | Bank Cusk-eel |
All Ophidion Species: No barbels on snout and chin. Scales cycloid. Median basibranchial tooth patches present or absent. At least some body scales (frequently all) non-overlapping, arranged in a basketweave or anguilloid fashion.Head naked except for 1 undescribed species which has a small patch of scales in front of the eye. Dorsal-fin rays rarely if ever more than 150; anal-fin rays rarely more than 125; precaudal vertebrae usually fewer than 18. Ethmoid spine absent, weakly developed, or long, sharp and projecting forward to or toward snout tip (FAO 1999; FAO 2002).
Ophidion holbrooki
Unique Characters: Elongate, compressed; head compressed; head profile nearly straight from tip of snout to dorsal fin; upper and lower body profiles not parallel. Snout with a small, blunt spine projecting down towards tip of snout. Gill rakers: 2-3 rudiments above, 4 developed rakers below. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 126 (115-137); anal fin 95 (96-111); pectoral 21 (19-25). Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye, relatively long – reaching under or nearly under pectoral base. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head. Lateral line along most of body. Pale brown; fins whitish, dorsal and anal fin with black margins (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3105).
Similar Species:
Ophidion antipholus, Longnose Cusk-eel
Longnose Cusk-eel, Ophidion antipholus. Dorsal-fin rays 111-133 (usually 116-123), anal-fin rays 94-103, pectoral-fin rays 18 or 19 (rarely 20 or21), precaudal vertebrae 15-17 (usually 16), caudal vertebrae 49-53 (usually 50-52), total vertebrae 65-69 (usually 66-68); lower arm of first gill arch with five or six developed rakers; head profile rounded, mouth distinctly inferior; dorsal and ventral profiles of body nearly parallel for much of length; body unmarked; pelvic-fin rays short, unequal, longer reaching to point directly under anterior edge of opercle (Lea & Robins 2003).
Ophidion dromio, Shorthead Cusk-eel
Shorthead Cusk-eel, Ophidion dromio. Elongate, compressed; upper and lower body profiles parallel for most of length; head compressed, short, blunt, bulbous, tissue on top of head often flaccid and inflated. Snout short, steeply rounded, only slightly overhanging mouth, but not distinctly protruding, with a short, blunt, finger-shaped spine projecting down towards its tip. No pores on head except for 2 near front of lower jaw. Gill rakers – 2 rudiments above, 4 short developed rakers below. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine; dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail fin. Dorsal fin 119-125 (116-129); anal fin 98-100 (92-102); pectoral fin 19-21. Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye, short, longest ray reaching under front 1/3 of operculum. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head. Lateral line along most of body. Uniform pale brown; outer edges of anal and dorsal fins black, especially at front (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/4625).
Ophidion grayi, Blotched Cusk-eel
Blotched Cusk-eel, Ophidion grayi. Elongate, compressed; head compressed; head profile convex from snout to dorsal fin origin. Snout moderately blunt, slightly overhanging, with a small, blunt spine projecting down towards its tip. Gill rakers – 2 rudiments above, 4 rakers below. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 133-144; anal fin 98-105. Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head. Lateral line along most of body. Light tan; 2 irregular rows of dark brown spots and blotches, upper row from top of body to lateral line, lower row from lateral line down, some of upper row spots coalesced into horizontal blotches; top of head and dorsal fin with scattered dark brown spots; margin of dorsal fin with black blotches; anal fin clear, with black margin. (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3104)
Ophidion josephi, Crested Cusk-eel
Crested Cusk-eel, Ophidion josephi. Elongate, compressed; head compressed; head profile nearly straight from tip of snout to behind eye; mature male with crest on nape. Snout with a small, blunt spine projecting down towards tip of snout. Gill rakers: 2 rudiments above, 4 rakers below. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 138-146; anal fin 114-121. Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head. Lateral line along most of body. Tan; 3 rows of dark spots along body, upper row usually fused into an irregular stripe, middle row partly or completely fused in a stripe on or below lateral line; dorsal fin with a long black blotch at front, a black margin behind that blotch; anal fin with black margin (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3106).
Ophidion marginatum, Striped Cusk-eel
Striped Cusk-eel, Ophidion marginatum. Elongate, compressed; head compressed; head profile nearly straight from tip of snout to behind eye. Snout moderately pointed, slightly overhangs jaws, with a spine projecting down towards tip; male with prominent crest on nape. 4-5 lower gill rakers. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 147-158; anal fin 118-124. Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head. Lateral line along most of body. Grey-green above, golden on side, white below; body with 2-3 dark stripes along its entire length, 1 along lateral line; side of head with brown spots; dorsal fin pale green, with black margin; anal fin with black margin (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3108).
Ophidion nocomis, Letter Opener
Letter Opener, Ophidion nocomis. Elongate, compressed; head compressed. Snout with a small backward pointing spine behind a larger finger-shaped spine projecting down and forwards. Only a short notch below front nostril. Front pore above eye over rear of eyeball. Teeth on sides of roof of mouth in 1 row. Gill rakers: 2 upper rudiments, 4-5 developed lower rakers. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 144-153; anal fin 132-139. Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head. Lateral line along most of body. Pale throughout; large fish with a few dark dots on mid-flank and a few dark dots on top of skull and behind that on midline; iris, gill chamber and peritoneum silvery (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3109).
Ophidion robinsi, Colonial Cusk-eel
Colonial Cusk-eel, Ophidion robinsi. 61-63 vertebrae, 107-132 dorsal-, 85-103 anal-, and 20-22 pectoral-fin rays, prominent checker-board pigment pattern body, black margin limited to anterior portion of dorsal fin, and larval characters as described herein. Distinguished from 0. grayi by lower meristic characters (Vert: 61-63 vs 64-65; 107-132 vs 131-145; A: 85-103 vs 99-113), lack of spots on dorsum of head, and fewer spots on the body below the lateral line. Other western Atlantic ophidiine ophidiids described to date lack a prominently spotted pigment pattern (Fahay 1992).
Ophidion selenops, Mooneye Cusk-eel
Mooneye Cusk-eel, Ophidion selenops. Elongate, compressed. Head compressed. Eye large. Snout with a short, backward pointing spine behind a larger finger-shaped forward and down pointing spine. Teeth on sides of roof of mouth in 2 rows in large fish. 4 lower gill rakers. Operculum with a strong, hidden spine. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 132-140; anal fin 123-129. Pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye. Scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head; scales at rear of tail are small, few and scattered. Lateral line along most of body. Pale, a dark line along top of back before dorsal fin meets a dark anchor-shaped mark at rear of head; sometimes a dark line along midside of body and tail (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3110).
References:
Del Moral-Flores, L.F., J. Rodríguez-González, M.L.Jiménez-Badillo. 2022. First report of Crested Cusk-eel, Ophidion josephi (Actinopterygii: Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae), in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria, 52(3): 189–194, https://doi.org/10.3897/aiep.52.86571.
Fahay, M.P. 1992. Development and distribution of cusk eel eggs and larvae in the Middle Atlantic Bight with a description of Ophidion robinsi n. sp. (Teleostei: Ophidiidae). Copeia, 1992 (3): 799-819
(FAO 1999). Nielsen, J.G., Cohen, D.M., Markle, D.F., and C.R. Robins. FAO species catalogue. Volume 18. Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis. No. 125, Vol. 18. Rome, FAO. 178 pp., 136 figs.
Lea, R.N. and C.R. Robins. 2003. Four new species of the genus Ophidion (Pisces: Ophidiidae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Scientific Papers No. 31: 1-9.
Robertson, D.R. and J. Van Tassell. 2023. Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean: online information system. Version 3.0 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panamá (https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/pages; accessed July 2026).