---
title: Long-Nostril Snake Eel (Phyllophichthus xenodontus)
scientific_name: Phyllophichthus xenodontus
common_name: Long-Nostril Snake Eel
taxon: Snake eels
conservation_status: LC - Least Concern
published: 2024-10-26T17:56:35.803Z
updated: 2026-08-08T21:22:54.924Z
tags: Long-Nostril Snake Eel, Phyllophichthus xenodontus, Snake eels, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/snake-eels/long-nostril-snake-eel
---

# Long-Nostril Snake Eel (*Phyllophichthus xenodontus*)

## Quick facts

- **Group:** Snake eels (*Ophichthidae*)
- **Size:** 42 cm
- **Conservation status:** LC - Least Concern

The Flappy Snake-eel (Phyllophichthus xenodontus) is a marine species classified within the family Ophichthidae, commonly referred to as worm or snake eels. It represents the sole species within the genus Phyllophichthus. The species was first described by ichthyologist William Alonzo Gosline III in 1951. The Flappy Snake-eel is indigenous to tropical regions of the Indo-Pacific, with its distribution including East Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, the Marquesan Islands, the Society Islands, the Caroline Islands, and the Marshall Islands. This eel typically resides at depths ranging from 8 to 30 meters and is commonly associated with reef environments and inshore waters. It is characterized by a benthic lifestyle and has the capability to form burrows. Male specimens of this species can attain a maximum total length of 42 centimeters.

## Also known as

- **English:** flappy snake-eel, flappy snake eel
- **Czech:** hadař zubatý
- **Japanese:** ゲットウウミヘビ, Gettoumihebi
- **TAH:** Puhi houone

## Scientific synonyms

- *Phyllophichthus macrurus* McKay, 1970

## Range

Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles

---

*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/snake-eels/long-nostril-snake-eel)*
*Updated: August 8, 2026*