Skythrenchelys zabra Castle & McCosker, 1999
Angry worm eel
Skythrenchelys zabra
photo by Bucol, A.A.

Family:  Ophichthidae (Snake eels), subfamily: Myrophinae
Max. size:  29.6 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 180 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: India, Straits of Malacca, Philippines, Indonesia, and northern Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 217-250; Anal soft rays: 127-165; Vertebrae: 112-122. Tail 43-46% of TL; dorsal fin arising in mid-trunk; supraorbital pores 1+ 4, infraorbital pores 4 + 1, preoperculomandibular pores 6 + 2 or 3, supratemporal pores 2; uniform tan in color. Remarks: pectorals scarcely visible; caudal fin short.
Biology:  Most specimens collected from a shallow turbid estuary.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.