Iredale's Worm Eel, Scolecenchelys iredalei (Whitley 1927)


Other Names: Coral Worm Eel

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2023, Scolecenchelys iredalei in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3147

Iredale's Worm Eel, Scolecenchelys iredalei (Whitley 1927)

More Info


Distribution

Murray Island, Torres Strait, to at least One Tree Island, southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland (precise distribution uncertain). Elsewhere the species occurs in the Indo-west Pacific: East Africa to southern Japan, Fiji and Tonga.
Inhabits shallow rocky tide pools and coral reefs to a depth of 60 m.

Etymology

The species is named in honour of the Australian ornithologist-malacologist Tom Iredale of the Australian Museum, who accompanied Whitley on a collecting trip to Michaelmas Cay, Great Barrier Reef, type locality.

Species Citation

Muraenichthys iredalei Whitley 1927, Records of the Australian Museum 16(1): 5. Type locality: Michaelmas Cay, Queensland.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2023

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Iredale's Worm Eel, Scolecenchelys iredalei (Whitley 1927)

References


Castle, P.H.J. & McCosker, J.E. 1999. A new genus and two new species of Myrophine worm-eels, with comments on Muraenichthys and Scolecenchelys (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). Records of the Australian Museum 51(2-3): 113-122. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.51.1999.1300 (as a probable synonym of Scolecenchelys australis)

Hibino, Y. & Kimura, S 2015. Revision of the Scolecenchelys gymnota species group with descriptions of two new species (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae: Myrophinae). Ichthyological Research 63(1): 1-22 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-015-0485-4

Munro, I.S.R. 1957. Handbook of Australian Fishes. No. 11. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 16(5): 45-48 (as Muraenichthys iredalei)

Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2 (as Muraenichthys iredalei)

Whitley, G.P. 1927. The fishes of Michaelmas Cay, North Queensland. Records of the Australian Museum 16(1): 1-32 fig. 1 pl. 1 https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.16.1927.776

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37068021

Behaviour:Burrowing

Depth:0-60 m

Habitat:Soft bottom

Max Size:20 cm TL

Native:Endemic

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map