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Black-tailed thrush eel (Moringua javanica) — Moringuidae

Black-tailed thrush eel

Moringua javanica
Family: Moringuidae
DD · Data Deficient

The Black-tailed thrush eel (Moringua javanica) is a brackish-water fish of the family Moringuidae that grows up to 120 cm.

Length
120 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
0.0–15.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The Java spaghetti eel is a worm eel (Moringuidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has an extremely thin, worm-shaped body with small eyes and strongly reduced fins, adapted to a burrowing existence. It lives buried in sand and mud bottoms of shallow coastal waters and estuaries. Head-first it bores through the sediment and hunts small invertebrates and small fishes. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Black-tailed thrush eel?

The Black-tailed thrush eel has a snake-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Black-tailed thrush eel live?

The Black-tailed thrush eel lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Black-tailed thrush eel get?

The Black-tailed thrush eel grows to a maximum of about 120 cm.

Is the Black-tailed thrush eel dangerous to humans?

No, the Black-tailed thrush eel is harmless to humans.

Is the Black-tailed thrush eel edible?

The Black-tailed thrush eel is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Javaanse spaghetti-aal sourced
English name
Black-tailed thrush eel verified
Scientific name
Moringua javanica
Family
Moringuidae
Other names
Java spaghetti eel; Java thrush-eel; Java worm eel; Javan worm eel verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
120.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
15.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Moringua

More from the family Moringuidae

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