[2] It was described by George Tradescant Lay and Edward Turner Bennett in 1839, originally under the genus Ophisurus.

It dwells at a depth range of 0 to 70 metres (0 to 230 ft), most often around 0 to 10 metres (0 to 33 ft), and inhabits lagoons and reefs, in which it forms burrows in beds of seagrass and sandy areas.

Males can reach a maximum total length of 66 centimetres (2.17 ft).

[2] The saddled snake-eel's diet consists of fish, crabs, prawns, and worms including Ptychodera.

Males and females rise to the surface of the water during spawning.