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Scolecenchelys gymnota (Bleeker, 1857)

Indo-Pacific slender worm-eel
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Scolecenchelys gymnota   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Scolecenchelys gymnota (Indo-Pacific slender worm-eel)
Scolecenchelys gymnota
Picture by Williams, J.T.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

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: Bleeker.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m (Ref. 86942). Tropical; 32°N - 28°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: widespread, from East Africa to Samoa, north to Okinawa-jima Island, Japan, excluding the Red Sea and the coast of Australia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1602)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Vertebrae: 118 - 135. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: 2 infraorbital pores found at the postorbital area; median ventral groove on the snout absent; acute snout; rictus of mouth slightly posterior to a vertical line through the posterior margin of the eye; pointed conical teeth on upper jaw and vomer, arranged biserially on upper jaw, uniserially on vomer; dorsal-fin origin posterior to a vertical line through the anus, horizontal distance between the origin and the vertical line 13-55% HL; tail 54-58% TL; total vertebrae 118-135, predorsal 51-57 and preanal 47-52; mean vertebral formula (MVF) 53.9-50.0-128.6 (Ref. 92899).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Lives in loose sand and fine gravel (Ref. 1602). Benthic (Ref. 58302) and burrowing species found in inshore waters (Ref. 7300, 75154). Feeds on small fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 89972).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McCosker, John E. | Collaborators

Hibino, Y. and S. Kimura, 2015. Revision of the Scolecenchelys gymnota species group with descriptions of two new species (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae: Myrophinae). Ichthyol Res (Ref. 104540)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Not Evaluated 

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 24.9 - 29.2, mean 28.1 °C (based on 2563 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00076 (0.00029 - 0.00199), 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):  4.1   ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low to moderate vulnerability (28 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 62.7 [35.8, 113.1] mg/100g; Iron = 0.628 [0.383, 1.195] mg/100g; Protein = 18.7 [16.4, 21.3] %; Omega3 = 0.116 [0.053, 0.326] g/100g; Selenium = 36.3 [20.4, 73.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 64.2 [18.5, 196.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.2 [0.8, 1.7] mg/100g (wet weight);