[2] It was described by Charles Barkley Wade in 1946.

[3] It is a marine, tropical eel which is known from the eastern central and southeastern Pacific Ocean, including Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica.

[4] It dwells at a depth range of 100 to 200 metres (330 to 660 ft), and inhabits sediments of mud.

Males can reach a maximum total length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in).

[2] Due to its wide distribution, lack of known threats, and lack of observed population decline, the IUCN redlist currently lists the Smallfin worm-eel as Least Concern.