Long-finned worm eel

The long-finned worm eel or short-headed worm eel, Scolecenchelys breviceps, is a snake eel of the genus Scolecenchelys, found in southern Australia between Rottnest Island and Tasmania, and around New Zealand, to depths of about 50 m, on sandy or muddy bottoms. Its length is between 40 and 60 cm.

Long-finned worm eel
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Anguilliformes
Family:
Ophichthidae
Genus:
Scolecenchelys
Species:
S. breviceps
Binomial name
Scolecenchelys breviceps
(Günther, 1876)

The Long-finned worm eel is a Maori Traditional delicacy, and is skinned and dried mainly outdoors for a period not exceeding longer than 3 months. The eel is not dangerous to humans, but can pack a fight in the sense of it feeling threatened, where it will nip the person or other mammel as a sense of protection. These eels are also very difficult to handle by hand and can be without water for up to 6 or more hours.

The Long-finned worm eel is nocturnal, venturing out at night to hunt for invertebrates.[1]

References
  1. Dianne J. Bray, 2011, Shorthead Worm Eel, Scolecenchelys breviceps, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 25 Aug 2014, http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3144
  • "Scolecenchelys breviceps". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 19 March 2006.
  • Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Scolecenchelys breviceps" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
  • Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
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