[3] It was described by Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Hermann Schlegel in 1846, originally under the genus Conger.

[4] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the Indo-Pacific.

It inhabits deep waters, but is found in muddy sediments in shallow waters on rare occasions.

Males can reach a maximum total length of 61.5 centimetres (24.2 in).

[3] The manetail snake eel's diet consists of benthic invertebrates.