It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, northern South America, Senegal, and Angola.

It dwells at a depth range of 40 to 100 metres (130 to 330 ft), and inhabits shallow bays and lagoons, in which it forms burrows in mud and sand.

Males can reach a maximum total length of 180 centimetres (71 in), but more commonly reach a TL of 100 centimetres (39 in).

[4] The species epithet "punctifer", treated as a name in apposition, means "dotted" in Latin, and refers to the eel's colouration.

[4] The eel is pinkish in color and has small dots, similar to leopard print.