[1] It was described by Yuri Nikolaevich Shcherbachev and Kenneth J. Sulak in 1997.

[2] It is a marine, deep water-dwelling eel which is known from Japan, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

It is known to dwell at a depth range of 700 to 1,800 metres (2,300 to 5,900 ft).

Males can reach a maximum total length of 51.3 centimetres (20.2 in).

[1] The species epithet "nigeli" was given in honour of Nigel R. Merrett, credited with making "substantial contributions" to the knowledge of the synaphobranchid eels.