[4] It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally under the genus Muraena.

[5] It is a marine, subtropical eel which is known from the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Bay of Biscay, the Republic of Congo, and the Mediterranean.

It dwells at a depth range of 3 to 12 metres (9.8 to 39.4 ft), and inhabits burrows formed in sand and mud sediments in coastal lagoons and estuaries.

[4] The Painted eel is of minor commercial interest to fisheries.

[4] It has been recorded spawning in the Bay of Algiers during the months of August and September.