Finned worm eel

The Finned worm eel (Echelus uropterus, also known as the Finned snake eel in Australia^[3]) is an eel in the family Ophichthidae (worm/snake eels).^[4] It was described by Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Hermann Schlegel in 1846.^[5] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific, including East Africa, the Society Islands, and southern Japan. It is known to dwell in reefs. It is the only worm eel in its region which possesses pectoral fins. Males can reach a maximum total length of 60 centimetres.^[4]

Finned worm eel
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anguilliformes
Family:	Ophichthidae
Genus:	Echelus
Species:	E. uropterus
Binomial name
Echelus uropterus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)
Synonyms[2]
Conger uropterus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846 Myrophis uropterus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846)

The Finned worm eel's diet consists of bony fish and benthic crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp, prawns, amphipods and stomatopods.^[6]