Scolecenchelys castlei, Deepwater big-eyed worm eel

Scolecenchelys castlei McCosker, 2006

Deepwater big-eyed worm eel
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Scolecenchelys castlei   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Scolecenchelys castlei (Deepwater big-eyed worm eel)
Scolecenchelys castlei
Female Picture by McCosker, J.E.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Anguilliformes (Eels and morays) > Ophichthidae (Snake eels) > Myrophinae
Etymology: Scolecenchelys: Greek, skolex = worm (1855) + Greek, enchlys, -yos = eel (Ref. 45335); castlei: Named for Peter H.J. Castle.
Eponymy: Dr Peter Henry John Castle (1934–1999) was an ichthyologist at the School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand, which awarded all his degrees; bachelor’s (1955) master’s (1958), doctorate (1964) and DSc. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: McCosker.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 425 - 820 m (Ref. 56887). Subtropical

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Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 58.0 cm TL (female)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Diagnosis: Moderately elongate with tail 58-61% of TL; dorsal fin arises slightly behind middle of preanal distance; blunt snout; eye large, 7-10 times in HL with posterior margin behind corner of mouth; eye diameter greater than interorbital distance; small, numerous teeth, conical and biserial anteriorly and uniserial posteriorly on jaws and vomer; color tan dorsally, pale ventrally, sharply delineated along mid-flank, peritoneum dark, anus within a black spot; MVF 32/62/181; total vertebrae 180-186 (Ref. 56887).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McCosker, John E. | Collaborators

McCosker, J.E., 2006. A new deepwater species of worm-eel, Scolecenchelys castlei (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae), from New Zealand and Australia, with comments on S. breviceps and S. macroptera. J. R. Soc. N. Z. 36(1):17-26. (Ref. 56887)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 26 November 2019

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search |