Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Ophichthinae
Etymology: Yirrkala: Named for its type locality Yirrkala, Caledon Bay, Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland, Australia.; ori: Named for the Oceanographic Research Institute of South Africa, which collected these and many other valuable specimens..
More on author: McCosker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 20 m (Ref. 86861). Subtropical
Western Indian Ocean: South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 43.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 86861); 35.3 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Vertebrae: 149 - 152. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: head 6.2-6.7% TL; tail 50% TL; dorsal-fin origin nearly above gill openings; eye behind middle of upper jaw; supraorbital pores 4; teeth conical, minute, uniserial on jaws and vomer; colour yellowish, slightly darker dorsally; total vertebrae 149-152; mean vertebral formula 6.5-74-150 (n=4) (Ref. 86861).
Inhabits coarse sand substrate (Ref. 86861).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
McCosker, J.E., 2011. Two new Indo-Pacific species of the sand-eel genus Yirrkala (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). Smithiana Bulletin 13:45-50. (Ref. 86861)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00089 (0.00039 - 0.00204), b=3.00 (2.80 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).