Teleostei (teleosts) >
Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) >
Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Myrophinae
Etymology: Scolecenchelys: Greek, skolex = worm (1855) + Greek, enchlys, -yos = eel (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 156 m (Ref. 56887). Temperate
Eastern Indian Ocean: southern Australia, from Rottnest Island, Western Australia to Port Arthur, Tasmania. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand (Ref. 5755).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9563)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Diagnosis: Moderately elongate with tail 58-63% of TL; dorsal fin arises slightly ahead of middle of preanal distance; blunt snout; large eye, 11-16 times in HL with posterior margin above or slightly in advance of corner of mouth; eye diameter less than interorbital distance; small, numerous teeth, conical and biserial anteriorly and uniserial posteriorly on jaws and vomer; color tan dorsally, pale ventrally, sharply delineated along mid-flank, anus not within a black spot; MVF 23/56/164; total vertebrae 161-167 (Ref. 56887).
Found inshore, in bays (Ref. 9563); burrowing, on soft bottoms (Ref. 7300). Caught under surface nightlights, and by trap, trawl, hook-and-line, and is occasionally discovered in fish stomachs; a benthic species living from tidepool depths to 156 meters (Ref. 56887).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
May, J.L. and J.G.H. Maxwell, 1986. Trawl fish from temperate waters of Australia. CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research, Tasmania. 492 p. (Ref. 9563)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 14.4 - 18.5, mean 16.8 °C (based on 370 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00076 (0.00029 - 0.00197), b=3.06 (2.83 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.5 ±0.80 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (44 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 13.2 [5.9, 24.4] mg/100g; Iron = 0.203 [0.108, 0.369] mg/100g; Protein = 19.1 [16.8, 21.7] %; Omega3 = 0.359 [0.154, 1.158] g/100g; Selenium = 10.9 [4.9, 24.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 64.4 [17.0, 265.4] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.373 [0.242, 0.581] mg/100g (wet weight);
