Kingdom Animalia Class Actinopterygii Family Ophichthidae Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Anguilliformes Genus Echelus | |
Similar Ophisurus, Ophichthus, Ophichthidae, Conger Eel | ||
The Finned worm eel (Echelus uropterus, also known as the Finned snake eel in Australia) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels). It was described by Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Hermann Schlegel in 1846. It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa, the Society Islands, and southern Japan. It is known to dwell in reefs. It is the only worm eel in its region which possesses pectoral fins. Males can reach a maximum total length of 60 centimetres.
The Finned worm eel's diet consists of bony fish and benthic crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp, prawns, amphipods and stomatopods.
References
Finned worm eel Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA