Social Behavior of the Sharptail Snake Eel (Myrichthys breviceps) on a Southern Reef of Bonaire

David L. Haskins; John J. Enz; David E. Unger

Social Behavior of the Sharptail Snake Eel (Myrichthys breviceps) on a Southern Reef of Bonaire

David L. Haskins^1,*, John J. Enz², and David E. Unger³

¹Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA. ²Department of Biology and Marine Science, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL 32211, USA. ³Deprtment of Biology, Maryville College, Maryville, TN 37804, USA. *Corresponding author.

Caribbean Naturalist, No. 44 (2017)

Abstract
Snake eels are a family of fishes that are found throughout the western Atlantic. Although many species are common, little is known of their social or reproductive behaviors due to their secretive lifestyles. Myrichthys breviceps (Sharptail Eel) are considered locally common in the Caribbean, but like other snake eel species, observations of social and reproductive behaviors are rare. Here we describe a novel sighting of several adult Sharptail Eels engaging in spawning behavior on a resort house reef in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles.

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