Coral Worm Eel

This species of the Scolecenchelys gymnota species group is distinguished by the following set of characters: head 8.4-10 % TL; tail 51-54 % TL; trunk 34-38 % TL; infraorbital pores 2 at the postorbital area; absence of median ventral groove on the snout; acute snout; rictus of mouth is slightly posterior to a vertical through the posterior margin of the eye; uniserial teeth on jaws and vomer; horizontal distance between dorsal-fin origin and a vertical through mid-anus 3.4-57 % HL; predorsal vertebrae 54-59, preanal 53-56, total vertebrae 122-129; MVF 57-55-126 (Ref. 104540).

Vertebrae: 122 - 129

A shallow water species occurring from rock tide pools or coral reefs to 60 m depth (Ref. 104540).

Scolecenchelys erythraeensis is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Marie-Louise Bauchot and André L. Maugé in 1980, originally under the genus Muraenichthys. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western Indian Ocean.