Species Scolecenchelys breviceps (Günther, 1876)

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CAAB: 37068004

Species Scolecenchelys breviceps (Günther, 1876)

Shorthead Worm Eel, Devis' Worm-eel, Long-finned Worm Eel, Longfinned Worm Eel, Ogilby's Worm-eel, Short-headed Worm Eel, Short-headed Worm-eel, Shortheaded Worm Eel, Slender Eel

Muraenichthys breviceps Günther, A. 1876. Remarks on fishes, with descriptions of new species in the British Museum, chiefly from southern seas. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4 17(43): 389-402 [401].
Type data:
Holotype BMNH 1875.11.12.73, TAS.
Muraenichthys devisi Fowler, H.W. 1908. A collection of fishes from Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 59(3): 419-444 figs 1-10 [dated 1907] [421, fig. 2].
Type data:
Holotype ANSP 33120, VIC.
Muraenichthys ogilbyi Fowler, H.W. 1908. A collection of fishes from Victoria, Australia. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 59(3): 419-444 figs 1-10 [dated 1907] [423, fig. 3].
Type data:
Holotype ANSP 33121, VIC.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

Castle, P.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 [121]
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. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 36(1): 17-26 [22-25] (discussion of S. breviceps and its synonyms)

Generic Combinations

Scolecenchelys breviceps (Günther, 1876). —
Castle, P.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 [121] (changed combination cited)

Miscellaneous Literature Names

Muraenichthys macropterus Bleeker, 1857 [a misidentification, Muraenichthys breviceps Günther, 1876 treated as probable synonym of M. macropterus Bleeker 1857]. —
McCosker, J.E. 1970. A review of the eel genera Leptenchelys and Muraenichthys, with the description of a new genus, Schismorhynchus, and a new species, Muraenichthys chilensis. Pacific Science 24(4): 506-516 figs 1-6 [508]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Wallis Lake, NSW (32°11'S, 152°30'E) to Rottnest Island, WA (31°57´S, 115°26'E) including TAS, records from Cocos (Keeling) Islands require confirmation, as this appears to be a temperate species; temperate, south-west Pacific.

IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IMCRA

Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Distribution References

Hutchins, J.B. 2005. Checklist of marine fishes of Recherche Archipelago and adjacent mainland waters. pp. 425-449 in Wells, F.E., Walker, D.I. & Kendrick, G.A. (eds). Proceedings of the Twelfth International Marine Biological Workshop: The Marine Flora and Fauna of Esperance, Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum. [438]

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, burrower, continental shelf.

Extra Ecological Information

1-220 m

General References

Castle, P.H.J. 1994. Families Synaphobranchidae, Nettastomatidae, Ophichthidae. pp. 195-203 figs 172-179 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [200] (as Muraenichthys breviceps)

Castle, P.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 [121]

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. [28] (as Muraenichthys breviceps)

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. [26] (as Muraenichthys breviceps)

McCosker, J.E. 1970. A review of the eel genera Leptenchelys and Muraenichthys, with the description of a new genus, Schismorhynchus, and a new species, Muraenichthys chilensis. Pacific Science 24(4): 506-516 figs 1-6 [508] (as Muraenichthys breviceps a probable synonym of M. macropterus)

McCosker, J.E., Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Gates, J.E. & Bray, D.J. 2006. Ophichthidae. pp. 264-277 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [274]

McCosker, J.E. & Stewart, A.L. 2015. 40. Family Ophichthidae. pp. 249-258 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 2 pp. 1-576. [257]

McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part I. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 1–144 [67, 68] (as Muraenichthys devisi and M. ogilbyi)

Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 [published as separates 1956–1961] [46] (325, 326, 327 as Muraenichthys breviceps, M. devisi and M. ogilbyi)

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. [117] (as Muraenichthys breviceps)

Smith, D.G. & McCosker, J.E. 2008. Family Ophichthidae. pp. 166-169 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [169]

Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [36] (362 as Muraenichthys breviceps, 365 as M. devisi, and 366 as M. ogilbyi)