PORT PHILLIP BAY


Shorthead Worm Eel 

Scolecenchelys breviceps (Günther, 1876)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Other Names

  • Big-eyed worm eel

General Description

Body very long, slender, worm-like, tapering to a point with low dorsal and anal fins barely reaching the sharply pointed tail tip, pectoral fins absent and jaws not extended. Greenish-brown above, pale below. To 60 cm.

Biology

Individuals usually remain buried during the day with only their snout tip visible, hunting for invertebrates at night. They use their bony tail tip to burrow tail first into sediments.

Habitat

Silty and sandy bottoms in bays and along the coast, in depths of 1-150 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes Eels

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

60 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Shorthead Worm Eel, Scolecenchelys breviceps, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 10 Jan 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6278

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