irksome eel
Gordiichthys ergodes McCosker, Böhlke & Böhlke, 1989
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Irksone eel (Gordiichthys ergodes) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by John E. McCosker, Eugenia Brandt Böhlke, and James Erwin Böhlke in 1989. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling eel which is known from a single specimen discovered in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, in the western central Atlantic Ocean. From the holotype, it is known to dwell at a depth range of 10 to 189 meters (33 to 620 ft).
Wikipedia contributors, Irksone eel; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:54:14.705514+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Gordiichthys ergodes McCosker, Böhlke & Böhlke, 1989
- Name authority
- McCosker, Böhlke & Böhlke, 1989
- Common name
- irksome eel
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Anguilliformes
- Family
- Ophichthidae
- Genus
- Gordiichthys
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: yes · Freshwater: no · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderAnguilliformes
- familyOphichthidae Günther, 1870
- subfamilyOphichthinae Günther, 1870
- genusGordiichthys Jordan & Davis, 1891
- speciesGordiichthys ergodes McCosker, Böhlke & Böhlke, 1989
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Gordiichthys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| sooty eelGordiichthys leibyi McCosker & Böhlke, 1984 | OphichthidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gordiichthys combibus McCosker & Lavenberg, 2001 | OphichthidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| horsehair eelGordiichthys irretitus Jordan & Davis, 1891 | OphichthidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gordiichthys randalli McCosker & Böhlke, 1984 | OphichthidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- McCosker, J. E., Böhlke, E. B., & Böhlke, J. E. (1989). Family Ophichthidae. P. 254-412. In E. Böhlke (Ed). Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Part 9, Volume 1 Orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes. Mem. Sears Found. Mar. Res. New Haven., pp. 254–412. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3H2MN. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.