Description

Dorsal soft rays (total): 19 - 27; Anal soft rays: 36 - 43. Eel-like, moderate to shallow body depth; maxilla adnate or nearly so; cardiform teeth present; branchiostegal membranes partly or completely united; swim bladder with thin terminal membrane or bulb; lacking enlarged dentary or premaxillary fangs, dentary diastema, pelvic fins, and swim bladder rocker bone (Ref. 34024). Lacks externally visible pectoral fins (Ref. 51068).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Ophidiiformes

Family: Carapidae

Genus: Encheliophis

Species: Encheliophis vermicularis Müller, 1842

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

A benthic species which occurs in inshore waters and inhabits coral reefs (Ref. 75154). Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Holothurian parasite with male-female pairs in each host (Ref. 34024, 75154). Associated with holothurians including Holothuria leucospilota, H.scabra, H.lubrica, and Thelenota ananas (Ref 90102).

Habitat

associated

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless