• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.307-310
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• 2009

A specimen (862.3 mm standard length) of Pisodonophis cancrivorus (Richardson, 1848), family Ophichthidae, was first collected from the coast of Uljin-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea in September 2008. This species is characterized by the following: fleshy protrusions of upper jaw in the front and rear of the posterior nostril, 3~5 irregular rows of granular teeth in bands on maxilla, mandible and vomer, and origin of dorsal fin above the middle of the pectoral fin. Based on the fleshy protrusions found on its upper jaw, a new Korean name "dol-gi-ba-da-baem" has been proposed for this species.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.46-60
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• 2011

A taxonomic review of 6 genera and 10 species in the family Ophichthidae was carried out based on specimens from the adjacent waters of Korea. The number of vertebrae distinguished the species of each genus: Ophisurus macrorhynchos (201~209), Ophichthus rotundus (178~183), Pisodonophis zophistius (179~182), P. cancrivorus (153~164), Echelus uropterus (152~158), Muraenichthys gymnopterus (155~156), Ophichthus evermanni (150~154), Brachysomophis porphyreus (137~148), Ophichthus urolophus (135~138), Ophichthus asakusae (124~134). Snout length in head length distinguished the 6 genera: Ophisurus (27.2~31.2), Echelus (18.0~27.7), Ophichthus (12.3~21.5), Pisodonophis (16.5~20.8), Muraenichthys (11.4~11.9), Brachysomophis (9.1~9.4). A key to the 6 genera and 10 species of the family Ophichthidae from the adjacent waters of Korea is provided.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2010

Four leptocephali (TL 109.8~129.7 mm) of the family Ophichthidae, collected from Sangju in the South Sea of Korea, were identified using morphological and molecular methods. Our four leptocephali were similar to Ophichthus sp. based on morphological characters: the melanophores present in series of eight gut swellings; total myomeres 144~151; body depth in total length less than 10%; eight or nine black horizontal bands present from anus to caudal fin base. On the other hand, our four leptocephali were identified to Pisodonophis sp. based on 826 base pairs of 12S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences. Our results showed that morphology-based identification did not agree with molecular identification, indicating difficulty in differentiating morphologically between Ophichthus and Pisodonophis leptocephali. We, herein, firstly describe morphological characteristics of Pisodonophis sp. leptocephali from Korea.