| Family: |
Ophichthidae (Snake eels), subfamily: Myrophinae |
| Max. size: |
40 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m |
| Distribution: |
Southwest Pacific: restricted to southeastern coast of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. |
| Diagnosis: |
Vertebrae: 145-156. This species of the Scolecenchelys gymnota species group is distinguished by the following set of characters: head 7.7-8.9 % TL (in large specimens, >18.0 cm TL); tail 55-58 % TL; trunk 34-36 % TL; horizontal distance between origin of dorsal-fin and a vertical through mid-anus 8.0-91 % HL; jaws and vomerine teeth in a single row, rarely biserial anteriorly and uniserial posteriorly; predorsal vertebrae 62-68, preanal 60-63 and total 145-156; MVF 65-61-151 (Ref. 104540). |
| Biology: |
A shallow species (< 50 m) found in among seagrass beds and rocky tidepools (Ref. 104540). Lives in groups of many individuals. Feeds on small bottom-dwelling invertebrates (Ref. 33839). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 November 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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