Echelus

Echelus is a genus of eels in the snake-eel family Ophichthidae. Fossils belonging to this genus date back to the Early Eocene.

==Species== There are currently 4 recognized species in this genus: Echelus myrus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Painted eel) Echelus pachyrhynchus (Vaillant, 1888) Echelus polyspondylus J. E. McCosker & H. C. Ho, 2015 (Many-vertebrae snake eel) Echelus uropterus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) (Finned snake eel) left|thumb|Fossil skull of Echelus branchialis The following fossil species are also known: †Echelus arcuatus Radwanska, 1984 - Middle Miocene of Poland [otolith] †Echelus branchialis (Woodward, 1901) - Early Eocene of England †Echelus contractus Stinton, 1975 - Middle Eocene of England [otolith] †Echelus dolloi (Storms, 1896) - Middle Eocene of Belgium (=Eomyrus)