Unusual record of longjaw snake eel, Ophisurus Serpens (Osteichthyes: Ophichthidae) in Tunisian waters (Central Mediterranean)

Abstract

The present paper represents an additional and unusual record of the long jaw snake eel, Ophisurus serpens (Osteichthyes: Ophichthidae) in the Lagoon of Bizerte, a brackish area located in northern Tunisia. The specimen measured 1890 mm in total length and weighed 1096 g, it is described in the present paper including morphometric measurements and meristic counts. This specimen is the third well-documented record of O. serpens in the area, and the second in a peri-Mediterranean lagoon. This unusual capture is commented and discussed, and the use of the local ecological knowledge allows to assess the status of O. serpens in the area, where further records are needed prior to conclude about a successful establishment.